


Our Way ||| Ateez

by flamewhipper



Series: My Way Trilogy [2]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alpha Choi Jongho, Alpha Choi San, Alpha Kim Hongjoong, Alpha Song Mingi, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Beta Jeong Yunho, Beta Kang Yeosang, Knotting, M/M, Mates, Mpreg, Omega Jung Wooyoung, Omega Park Seonghwa, Omegaverse, Rape/Non-con Elements, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:13:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 40
Words: 87,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24444133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamewhipper/pseuds/flamewhipper
Summary: The 2nd book of the My Way SeriesThe story continues for the family of eight after having to say goodbye to two members of the pack. They must continue to work together to protect each other as their past haunts them, threatening the future they are working to build together.
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Jeong Yunho, Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Kang Yeosang/Kim Hongjoong, Park Seonghwa/Song Mingi
Series: My Way Trilogy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1758910
Comments: 25
Kudos: 168





	1. Character Review

Hongjoong   
~Head Alpha  
~Soulmate is Yeosang  
~Pack was destroyed by Alpha Pack  
~Can be really trusting

Yeosang   
~Beta  
~Soulmates with Hongjoong  
~Loves having a large pack  
~Takes role of Head Alpha's mate seriously  
~Very caring

Mingi  
~Alpha  
~Mated with Seonghwa   
~Forcefully claimed Seonghwa after Pack War  
~Can be very dominate and angers easily  
~Father was Head Alpha of Alpha pack  
~Father to Avayla

Seonghwa   
~Omega  
~Mated with Mingi  
~Entire family was alphas, so he can be easily mistaken as one, they were all killed in Pack War  
~Can be hot-headed and stubborn  
~Was kidnapped by Mingi's father, who wanted their unborn pup  
~Mother to Avayla

Jongho   
~Alpha  
~Mated with Yunho  
~Was also mated to Wooyoung at one point and still loves him very much   
~Pack abandoned him when he was wounded during Pack War  
~Very powerful alpha and had a short fuse  
~Used to be Head Alpha before joining with Hongjoong, now his second in command  
~Father to Theo

Yunho  
~Beta  
~Mated with Jongho  
~Best friend is Wooyoung, come from same pack  
~Willingly left old pack because of how they treated Wooyoung   
~Extremely playful, but is known to do a complete flip when it comes to protecting Wooyoung and the rest of his family  
~Mother to Theo

Wooyoung   
~Omega  
~Soulmates with San  
~First mate was and alpha named Chan, mating bond burned away by old pack before they chased him away   
~Was mated to Jongho until he went through his heat without him so their mating bond broke  
~Born with disease that kills his eggs, making him unable to have pups

San  
~Alpha  
~Soulmates with Wooyoung   
~Was abandoned by his pack as a pup because he was a runt, so he raised himself and learned to survive   
~Joined Jongho's pack due to attraction to Wooyoung  
~Family ended up being in Alpha Pack and kidnapped their pack  
~Killed his twin brother


	2. 1

"Avayla! Lunch is ready!" Yunho called out from the house. He heard the girl's high pitched squeal as she came running out of the trees.

She had inherited Mingi's smile, so wide and full of joy, but her long platinum blonde hair and blue eyes belonged solely to Seonghwa. And she was the light of the household.

Behind her came Theo. He too had inherited his father's smile and slightly puffy cheeks, but he got his mom's messy mop of brown hair.

Theo was clapping his hands as he ran behind Avayla and both of them started giggling. When she realized she was getting a little too far ahead, she paused and held out her hand, which he took gladly.

"Uncle Yunho! We're coming!" She called out, pulling Theo behind her. The boy beamed when he saw his mom and ran straight into Yunho's awaiting arms.

"There's my boy." He cooed, rubbing his nose against Theo's. His baby laughed and patted the side of Yunho's face. It was his way of saying hello to whoever picked him up.

Avayla squirmed at his side and Yunho knelt down next to her again. "What have you two been up to?"

"We built a secret playhouse! Didn't we Theo?" She pointed back at the woods and Theo nodded several times, then made a jabbing motion with his hand. "That's right! We found our own special swords and are training to be guards so we can help protect the house!"

"Is that right?" Yunho asked. Theo reached for Avayla and Yunho set them down so they could run inside.

It melted his heart when he saw the two of them interacting. Avayla had turned into Theo's protector the moment she was old enough to recognize that he was different than her and needed that extra help. But she never judged him. That was the nice thing about them only being two months apart, they grew up already accepting who the other was.

She was able to communicate with him in ways that no one else could, too. Maria had tried to help them teach Theo sign language, like the humans used, but he never really showed any interest in it. He had managed to find a way to communicate all on his own, most of it being through tapping and pointing, but Avayla could understand him as if they had their own special link.

While she was starting to show signs of forming the pack bond, Theo hadn't quite gotten there yet. And really, Avayla only picked up on a word or two when the pack link was used.

Everyone was convinced she was going to be an alpha like Mingi, mostly because of how she was with Theo. And because of this relationship, they were thinking Theo was going to be a beta. But there was still some before they would know for sure.

Pups would show signs of their rank anywhere between five and eight years. Theo was five years and eight months now, making Avayla five years and ten months old.

They had grown up so fast.

Yunho could hear them giggling inside and took a moment to look out into the trees. It was the one moment of the day that he allowed himself to be sad.

He kept hoping that any day now Wooyoung and San would come marching up to the house in a triumphant return.

They had left just over five years ago to try and find a cure for Wooyoung's illness, but they had promised they would only be gone for five years.

They were late.

Granted it was only about two months, but that didn't stop Yunho's mind from wandering. What if something had happened to them? What if they had decided not to come back?

The beta shook his head and took a deep breath, pushing his fears and worries behind him. He missed his best friend so much. He understood why they had left, but that didn't stop it from hurting... He couldn't dwell on it, though. So he shook his head again and turned his back to the forest. The moment was over.

He turned and ducked inside, smiling when he saw both kids eating at the table. Yeosang was listening to Avayla tell him about their playhouse and swords. He gave her a sweet smile, but the second he turned away it was gone.

Yunho felt a twinge of guilt. Yeosang and Hongjoong had been trying to get pregnant for a couple of years now but with no success. Maria had run a few tests and was confident that the latest herbal remedy she had made would help with his fertility.

Yeosang seemed to be accepting of it though. He had mentioned at one point that his lower fertility rate was a blessing in disguise because of when he was held prisoner at Alpha Pack. He had been raped several times a day while there, his 'chosen alpha' waning him to bare his pup, to no avail.

They were actually waiting for Maria to come visit them today to check up on him, as well as Seonghwa and Yunho.

They had all been talking about having another pup so they wanted to make sure they were healthy.

Seonghwa and Mingi walked in a short time later, holding hands, and whispering to one another before going to greet Avayla.

Everyone was preoccupied, so Yunho took this moment to duck into the bathroom to take a shower. He needed to find something to distract himself. That moment kept creeping up on him and he didn't like it. He was slowly losing the fight with himself as fear and worry crept in.

Just as he was about to lock the door, someone put pressure on it from the other side. "Are you ok love?"

Yunho sighed and opened it up. Jongho immediately pulled him into one of his warm hugs. His wolf purred at the contact as they nuzzled the mating marks they had left on each other's necks. It was the best medicine for both of them. That comfort was all they needed sometimes.

"I know..." Jongho said, sensing Yunho's feelings through their connection. "I'm trying not to dwell on it too."

His heart dropped at his alpha's words. They had all gone through so much. Wooyoung had captured Jongho's heart too, and the alpha had made the ultimate sacrifice when their mating bond was broken by letting Wooyoung mate with San. It ended up being a good choice in the end, but Jongho had never stopped loving him.

Their absence was hardest on the pair. Half of their original pack was gone. Plus they had missed getting to watch Theo grow up.

"Where's Hongjoong?" Yunho asked, not lifting his head up from Jongho's shoulder.

"He was out on patrol last I checked." Jongho started to place soft kisses against Yunho's skin. He let out a soft moan in response.

Just as he was about to suggest they step into the shower together, there was a knock on the front door.

Maria was here.

They both sighed and went to meet her in the living room. She spent the next couple of hours running tests on both betas and Seonghwa. The great thing about Maria is she could sense it all through her hands, so there was no need for machines or needles. It was the sign that she was a true midwife.

Both Seonghwa and Yunho checked out and were deemed healthy. Yeosang's exam took a little longer however, and Hongjoong was pacing back and forth outside the room.

He hadn't shown any signs of being sick at all, so why was it taking so long?

Yunho picked at his lip while they waited. Avayla and Theo were sitting on the ground working on some book work to learn how to read and write.

The door opened and everyone jumped to their feet. Maria had a hand on Yeosang's shoulder, and the beta looked like he was in shock.

Hongjoong rushed forward and took his beta's hands in his. "Is everything ok?" He asked, looking at Maria. "Why did it take so much longer? What's wrong with him? What did you find?"

Yeosang started to laugh, "Calm down, Joongie. I'm fine." He reached up to caress his alpha's cheek. "I'm better than fine, actually."

"Are you?" Hongjoong asked, his voice shaking.

Maria stepped out of the way at the same time that Yeosang nodded. Hongjoong cried out and spun his beta in a circle. Everyone else moved forward to congratulate the couple.

"Mama, what's going on?" Avayla asked, standing up to tug at Seonghwa's pants.

"Uncle Yeosang is going to have a baby!"

"Another one?! But I like it just being me and Theo!" She replied, crossing her arms in a pout.

Seonghwa chuckled and picked her up as Theo waddled over to Yunho. "You don't really mean that. You like taking care of Theo, right?"

"Of course! Theo is mine!"

Jongho wrapped his arms around Yunho's waist and smiled at the statement. "Oh he is, is he?"

"Yes, Theo is mine Uncle Jo-Jo." She squirmed in Seonghwa's arms and he put her down. Avayla ran to Theo's side and took his hand. He beamed at her while holding onto two of Yunho's fingers with his other hand.

Yeosang walked over then and sat on the floor in front of them. "Ava, sweetie, you do such a good job taking care of Theo. I know change can be hard sometimes, but it would mean so much to me if you would help me take care my baby too. He or she is going to need someone to look up to."

She gave him a contemplating look.

Theo tilted his head when he saw Yeosang place a hand on his stomach. He tugged on Yunho's hand. "What is it?" Yunho crouched down so he could be at eye level with his son. Theo pointed to Yeosang's stomach. "That's right, he's going to have a baby." He poked Theo's stomach. "Like you!"

Yunho watched as Theo tried to work out what was going on. Then he moved to sit in Yeosang's lap and placed his head on the beta's shoulder.

"Well Theo says it's ok, so I guess it's ok." Avayla smiled and sat on Yeosang's other leg. She patted his stomach several times. "This baby will be mine too."

"Oh boy." Seonghwa said, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, she gets that stubbornness from you, precious." Mingi chuckled, then smiled wider when Seonghwa glared at him.

"Well dearies, I'll be off to let you celebrate. But you'll be seeing more of me soon!" Maria said, a wide smile on her face as she gave everyone a hug.

They had grown to love their midwife so much, so the prospect of her being around more didn't bother them at all.

"I say this calls for a celebration!" Hongjoong said as Yeosang stood up. Avayla and Theo started laughing as the alpha spun his mate around in circles again.

"I'll go get some meat from the freezer and set it out." Yunho said, bouncing up and down.

Their family was going to grow again, this was just the news he needed.

.

.

.

.

_Faster Wooyoung. Don't give up._

_I'm trying... But I'm so tired..._

_I know baby, but we need to keep moving. We can't let them find us._

_I want to go home..._

_I do too. We will, just as soon as they stop following us. I promise. Now keep running. You can do it. Stay strong._

_Sannie..._

_Stay strong._


	3. 2

Yeosang hummed happily to himself as he finished cleaning up the kitchen. The other's had all departed to put Theo and Avayla to sleep, and then to turn in for the night. He had been so nervous going into his examination with Maria today because he had been feeling off for a couple of weeks now.

Now he just couldn't stop smiling. He was finally going to have a baby with his mate.

Two arms snaked around him from behind and he felt Hongjoong's lips on the back of his neck. They both hummed as he tightened his grip. Neither one needed to speak to know how happy they were.

Yeosang tried to move to grab another dish to clean, but Hongjoong held fast. "Hongjoong, I need to finish the kitchen."

He shivered when he felt his alpha's lips against his skin again. A hand slipped under his shirt and danced over his side.

"Joongie..." Yeosang said, squirming a little.

" **It can wait.** "

Yeosang's stomach flipped as his wolf churned with pleasure. Hongjoong stepped forward to press Yeosang into the counter as he started to nip at his skin. The beta whimpered in response and tilted his head back.

" **Alpha is so happy.** " He purred, running his other hand over Yeosang's stomach. " **You've given Alpha the best gift ever.** "

The beta shivered again as he felt his alpha grind into him. He put down the wet rag in this hand and braced himself against the counter. "J-Joong... We just..."

Hongjoong silenced him with another thrust of his hips. He started to kiss and nip the mating mark, making Yeosang weak at the knees. His arms tightened around the beta and he started to pull him backward.

Yeosang knew the battle was lost the second his alpha had hugged him. He couldn't resist Hongjoong, nor did he want to. He loved his mate too damn much to deny him.

He let Hongjoong drag him to their corner of the house and through the bedroom door, all while trying to keep his whimpers under control. With so many of them living here, two of them being children, they tried to be as respectful as possible when things got heated in the bedroom.

Seonghwa and Mingi were the worst about it, but no one said anything. It was just part of pack life.

Hongjoong kicked the door shut with his foot, then pinned Yeosang against it, grinding into him harder. They were both panting with need as their wolves took over.

Yeosang finally mustered the strength to push them away from the door. He spun in Hongjoong's arms and jumped so he could wrap his legs around his alpha's waist, then slammed their lips together.

The older tangled his fingers in the light brown hair to force their heads closer together as they stumbled to the bed. He fell backward and grunted as he was slammed into the bed by Yeosang's weight.

The beta moved his knees so he was straddling his alpha, their chests pressed together on the bed. They broke their kiss once so his shirt could be pulled off, and then Hongjoong's.

Then he started to kiss down Hongjoong's jaw and neck, loving that his alpha seemed to taste like his vanilla scent. He just couldn't get enough of it.

Hongjoong's hands ran down his back, pressing their chests together. They both shifted, desiring the skin to skin contact, and Yeosang took his turn to start grinding his hips. He groaned into their kiss at the feeling of their hard members rubbing against each other.

" **Oh, you make Alpha feel so good.** " Hongjoong growled, grabbing Yeosang and flipping them so he was on top.

Yeosang watched as his red eyes traveled over his body. He started to squirm, wanting to feel his alpha's hands on his body again. " **Alpha...** "

Hongjoong smirked and took one finger. He dragged it lazily down Yeosang's neck, the middle of his chest, moved it to circle each of is nipples, and finally down to trace his v-line. " **Yes love?** "

" **I need my alpha...** " Yeosang answered as chills ran down his body. He reached up to grasp Hongjoong's arms, but the alpha slipped off his lap, leaving him feeling cold and empty. But it was immediately replaced by need as the older worked to rip the rest of his clothes and ran his hands up his legs.

Hongjoong stated placing little kisses on the inside of Yeosang's thighs. " **So sweet. So sweet for Alpha.** "

His mouth got closer to Yeosang's center, who was trembling with anticipation. Hongjoong placed his hands on his beta's knees and pressed down, spreading him wide. He licked his lips and leaned forward to run his tongue from the base of Yeosang's length to the tip.

He gasped in response and arched his back off the bed. Then a low moan escaped him as he felt Hongjoong's tongue circle around his entrance.

Yeosang tried to reach for his alpha, but Hongjoong just pulled away, teasing him further. " **Alpha...** " Yeosang whined, sitting up to try and grab him.

Hongjoong let out a sound that went from a chuckle to a growl as he jumped into Yeosang, pinning him to the bed. He was now fully undressed as well, and he started to rotate his hips to rub their lengths together. " **So needy for Alpha.** " He growled, sucking on Yeosang's ear.

The beta whined again in response and rocked his hips time with Hongjoong's. He could already feel himself building from the pleasure as their bodies rubbed together.

Hongjoong started to trail kisses down his neck, chest, and stomach, leaving marks in a few areas. His hand wrapped around Yeosang's member and he started to stroke him, making the younger arch his back and thrust his hips.

The alpha just smiled down at his mate and connected their lips again. Without breaking contact, he lined his member up with Yeosang's entrance and started to push himself in. They both groaned into the kiss as they became one.

This was the best feeling to Yeosang. He knew he would never get tired of it. As he held onto his alpha, he lifted his hips in time to meet the older's trusts. His moans got louder when Hongjoong found his prostate.

" **A-Alpha! Right there!** "

" **As you wish.** " Hongjoong grabbed into his beta's hips and started to pound into him harder.

Yeosang fisted the sheets and bit his lip. Sparks flashed in front of his eyes with each thrust. " **Alpha! My alpha!** " He cried out. He never wanted this amazing feeling to end. " **Please knot me, I need to feel Alpha's knot.** "

" **It's coming sweet boy.** " Hongjoong grunted. His thrusts started to slow as his knot formed.

When his knot finally burst, Yeosang cried out with him as he came on their chests. Hongjoong leaned forward to connect their lips in a long, passionate kiss as they came down from their high.

Slowly they rotated onto their side, still kissing slowly. Yeosang hummed and broke contact so he could rub their noses together. "I love you, Joongie."

Hongjoong's eyes seemed to sparkle as he gazed at his beta. "And I love you. I cannot wait to have a baby with you. This is a dream come true."

"It is. Ever since we were old enough to think about mating, all I wanted was to have kids with you." Yeosang whispered, moving his head so he could kiss his mating mark.

The older let out a content sigh as he tightened his grip on the younger.

.

.

.

.

"So what should we do for Avayla's birthday?" Mingi asked. The big day was a month away, and he wanted to know how to plan a few other things that would take some time.

"Oh I don't know. I don't know if I can really think about that right now." Seonghwa whispered as he watched the two kids play in the snow. With it being mid-January, they still got a decent amount of snow, and the kids just loved it.

Yunho did too. He came running outside in a thick coat and started helping them make a fort. Theo squealed when he saw his mom and immediately ran to his side.

"Why not?" Mingi pursed his lips and studied his mate.

"There's so much that could happen between now and then." Seonghwa said, glancing out at the tree line.

"Don't go there, Hwa." Mingi whispered, pulling him into a hug.

"I know, I try. But Hongjoong is refreshing the herbs right now and it just got me to thinking..."

As he spoke Hongjoong walked out of the house holding two gold lockets. "Avayla, Theo, they are ready." He had a somber look on his face as the kids came running over.

Yunho stayed behind and kept his back to the others. Mingi knew it was so no one could see him trying to hide his tears.

"Uncle Joong, why do you take these from us?" Avayla asked as she made grabby hands for hers. Theo was nodding next to her.

The alpha gave her a sad smile and sighed. "Because I made a promise to two very dear friends of ours. I know you don't remember them, but they wanted you to remember their scent for when they came back. Do you know what these scents are?"

Both kids shook their heads as they brought the lockets to their noses, Theo copying Avayla's movements.

"This one," Hongjoong pointed to the left half of the locket. "Is rosemary. That is what San smells like. He is another alpha. And the other one is lavender, for his omega Wooyoung."

"Mama why did they leave?" Avayla asked, turning to Seonghwa.

"Well, sweetie, Wooyoung is sick. So he and San left to see if they could find something to help him."

"Is that why you get sad sometimes?" She tilted her head.

Mingi chuckled. She didn't miss a beat. "Yes Ava." He picked her up and held her close. "They are part of our family, so we miss them very much.

He watched a Theo shuffled back to Yunho and tapped his shoulder. The beta gave him a watery smile and ruffled Theo's hair.

"So they left these for us? To smell them?" Avayla looked down at her locket.

"Yes baby. If you ever smell a wolf with one of those scents, you need to ask them if they are San or Wooyoung. But you know the rule with wolves you don't recognize, right?"

"Call for Mama or Papa immediately. Or one of my uncles." She said, flashing him a bright smile.

Mingi kissed her cheek. "Good girl."

"Down Papa! Theo needs me!" She said suddenly. When her feet hit the ground, she ran for the boy and tackled him into the snow. Both of them started a mini snowball fight that Mingi and Yunho ended up joining in on.

And one point, Mingi took Yunho's hand in his and squeezed it. His friend returned the squeeze, but didn't look at him.

Part of him was grateful that Jongho had been out on patrol during this. The young alpha always had a hard time controlling his emotions whenever Hongjoong refreshed the herbs in the lockets. Perhaps that's why Hongjoong did it now.

He exchanged a glance with his head alpha and they both nodded, indicating they were thinking the same thing.

When Jongho returned a short time later, he was dragging a deer with him. "You decided to do a little hunting?" Mingi asked, arching an eyebrow. "You could have called me, I would have come to help."

The tan and black wolf just huffed and shoved his nose in the snow to clean off his fur. He looked like he was just about to shift when Theo came running up to him and clung to his neck. Jongho sat and wrapped a leg around him for a moment before crouching down so his son could climb on his back. Theo giggled as he laid on his stomach and ran his hands through Jongho's fur.

Mingi grabbed the deer and slung it over his shoulder to go break it down, hearing his daughter calling out that she wanted a ride too.

.

.

.

.

_Wooyoung, wake up._

_Hmm?_

_We need to leave._

_Already? We just got here..._

_I know, but I could smell them in the distance when I was keeping watch._

_Why won't they leave us alone?_

_I don't know, but I think we can stay ahead of them. We just have to keep moving. Come on my love. We can do this._

_They others must be so worried..._

_I know, but we can't risk leading danger home._

_What if they won't take us back, San? We broke our promise to them..._

_They will understand. We need to stay strong._


	4. 3

Jongho grunted as he shoveled snow away from their driveway. February was being brutal to them again and they had about two feet of snow surrounding their house, which prevented anyone from coming or going. And there was more on the way.

He decided that he officially hated winter. And he hated Mingi even more right now for making him do this just so he could run into town to get something for Seonghwa for some human holiday they didn't even celebrate.

Although, he had to admit it was really sweet that he wanted to do something for Seonghwa because he loved him so much.

Jongho sighed and glanced at the house. Yunho was inside working with the kids on their alphabet. He loved teaching them. He and Seonghwa shared the duty when they could, but Seonghwa was busy getting things set up for Avayla's sixth birthday.

Six years...

Their family had been incomplete for almost six years. The pack link had broken as soon as San and Wooyoung crossed the territory line, so they had no idea of where they were or if they were ok. Although it would have been that way if they traveled to far away too, it still made Jongho feel empty.

After being abandoned by his pack, Yunho and Wooyoung had helped him feel whole again. And while San was unexpected, he trusted the alpha with his life.

Which means he trusted him with Wooyoung's life.

Man he was a mess...

Jongho shook his head and threw another pile of snow over his shoulder. He was about to do it again when he saw movement at the end of the drive. Pausing, he straightened up and tried to focus. The air was so cold it messed with his senses.

_Hongjoong?_ He sent through their private link.

_I sense it too. Someone crossed the border line. I'm on the opposite side, but I'm coming._

_I can't tell who they are. I'm going to shift and investigate._

_Be careful._ Hongjoong said and Jongho could feel him putting on a burst of speed.

Jongho grumbled to himself as he stripped down. His human body trembled for a few seconds before he was able to shift into his warm wolf form. It was still cold, but he was more comfortable now as he padded slowly down the drive way.

It wasn't easy with how deep the snow was. There were a few times he had to jump forward, only to sink down and have to dig his way out.

He scanned the tree line, his breaths turning into fog in front of his face as he panted. Who was there?

Then he saw the movement again. It was a wolf, and he was dragging something...

The wolf...

No. It couldn't be. He had to be dreaming.

_Hongjoong! It's them!!_

_Are you sure?_

Jongho didn't answer as he struggled to run forward to the soot colored wolf in front of him. He yapped several times to announce his presence.

San turned his head and swayed where he stood, but a look of relief crossed his face as he turned to nudge Wooyoung.

_Mingi get out here now! We need help._

Jongho ran up and crouched down next to Wooyoung. The omega's eyes fluttered open and he let out a soft whine. They both looked exhausted. He started to lick Wooyoung's face and neck, unable to contain himself. Even in his wolf form he could feel the tears falling from his eyes and freezing in his fur.

San whimpered and nudged his head into Jongho's side, rubbing against him and filling the air with his rosemary scent.

Two howls came from either side of them as Hongjoong and Mingi arrived, bounding through the snow and sending it everywhere.

Their greeting was kept short as they worked to lift Wooyoung onto Mingi's large back. Hongjoong trotted by his side to make sure they omega didn't fall off while Jongho worked to support San.

_Yeosang, love, get warm towels, blankets, anything we have. Hurry._ Hongjoong said.

_Is it really them?_ The beta asked, but Hongjoong didn't answer. He was more focused on keeping Wooyoung safe.

Jongho rubbed his head against San's as they moved forward. He wanted so badly to speak with him and tell him how damn much he missed both of them. Plus there were so many questions he wanted to ask, but that would all come in time.

When they reached the house, Yunho was already waiting on the front porch. He rushed to Mingi's side, sobbing heavily, and lifted Wooyoung off his back to carry him inside. San scrambled up the steps after them, followed by the other three alphas.

Once inside, Jongho, Mingi, and Hongjoong all shifted and got dressed. Yeosang ran to them with blankets before trying to hurry back to the others. Hongjoong grabbed his arm. "Love, you need to calm down."

Yeosang took a deep breath and nodded, but still ended up pulling his alpha behind him.

Jongho pushed ahead to the living room. Seonghwa was standing off to the side, covering his mouth. Mingi went to stand next to him. "Where are the kids?"

"In Avayla's room. I set up a tv for them and turned the volume up for her."

Mingi nodded and pulled Seonghwa into his arms as they looked down at their friends.

San and Wooyoung had yet to shift back. Both were huddled under blankets and warm towels. Yunho had Wooyoung's head in his lap. Jongho moved to sit next to San. The alpha shifted so that part of him was still touching Wooyoung but the rest was reaching for Jongho.

It was then that he noticed a parcel tied to San's front leg. He reached for it and untied it.

"Wh-What ar-re th-those?" Yunho said, having a hard time containing himself. Wooyoung licked his arm, trying to comfort him.

"They look like more spell books..." Jongho said. There were three of them, one he recognized as the one Lizbeth had used to help save them from Alpha Pack. He looked at San, who just closed his eyes and whined. "San, can you shift back?"

The wolf shook his head in response, whining again.

"Wh-Why? Wh-What h-hap-pened t-to you?" Yunho looked down at Wooyoung, who just closed his eyes too. "H-Hongj-j-joong, can't you d-do something ab-bout the link?"

"I don't think so. From everything I know, we have to be humans..." A pained look crossed the head alpha's face. Jongho knew he was trying to work something out, but things seemed pretty bleak right now.

Why couldn't they change back? What happened to them?

He swallowed his questions and moved closer to San. "Can you not shift back because you're too weak?"

San shook his head and pawed at the books.

"Was it a spell?"

San huffed and nodded his head.

Yeosang sat next to them and took one of the books. "It's all in an old language... How are we supposed to find how to help you?"

"Mama!" Avayla called. Seonghwa flinched and dashed down the hall as both Wooyoung and San lifted their heads and looked in the direction of her call.

The room was silent and grew tense.

"Let's get them in a room to rest." Mingi said, his voice low and protective, although Jongho couldn't tell if it was because he wanted to help their friends, or if it was because he wanted to protect his daughter.

Jongho felt his wolf bristling if it was the latter. San and Wooyoung would never do anything to harm Avayla.

San must have sensed Mingi's tone too because he licked Jongho's hand to distract him. He returned his attention to San and helped him get off the floor while Yunho helped Wooyoung. They led them to their old room and helped them climb onto the bed.

Wooyoung huffed and moved to shove his head into Jongho's chest for the first time since being home. Now it was his turn to break down as he wrapped his arms around the orange and white neck in front of him. "I missed you so much, Woo." He sobbed. "But I'm so glad you're ok. We are going to figure out how to help you. I promise."

The four of them sat on the bed together, thankful to be connected as their mini pack again, even if there was no bond.

Eventually both wolves fell asleep and Jongho pulled his mate from the room to let them rest. They embraced right outside the door for a long moment before going to seek out their son.

Theo was waiting patiently in his room. He had a book in his lap and was tracing the letters with is finger. When the door opened, he noticed the movement and beamed.

Yunho sat next to him so he could sit in his lap. Theo tilted his head and tapped Yunho's cheeks. The beta let out a shaky laugh and placed a hand over his heart. "I'm ok, sweet boy." Then he reached forward and fingered the locket around Theo's neck.

Jongho smiled as Theo pointed at the wall in the direction of San and Wooyoung's room.

"That's right." Yunho said. "They are home. You can meet them later."

Theo looked up and reached for Jongho. Once he was in his dad's arms, he patted Jongho's cheek. "I'm ok. It's just a lot to take in."

.

.

.

.

"Mama I want to see them!" Avayla said, trying to run for the bedroom door.

"Hey now, Missy. It's bed time." Mingi said, scooping her off the ground and throwing her over his shoulder.

"No Papa!" She yelled, tears started coming from her eyes. "Papa down!"

"Yup, it's definitely bedtime." Mingi grunted, holding her in place on his shoulder while she had her little tantrum.

Seonghwa sighed and rubbed his head. There was so much for them to process and he couldn't blame Avayla from wanting to go see the newcomers. But it was late and they were both obviously exhausted. "Ava, honey, they have had a long trip and they need to rest."

"B-But you said San and W-W-Wooyoung are family." Avayla said, large tears dripping from her eyes. "I wanna meet them!" She sniffed, trying to keep her crying under control.

"You can meet them when they are feeling better munchkin. But for now you need to go to bed. It's very late." Mingi tucked her under her covers and sat next to her so she couldn't squirm away. "I can see you fighting sleep."

"No Papa, I'm not sleepy." She said through a yawn.

Seonghwa let out a soft laugh and moved to sit on the bed too. "Yes you are. You can barely keep your eyes open." He leaned over, "Give Mama a kiss." She puckered her lips and Seonghwa gave her a quick peck.

"My turn." Mingi said softly, repeating the same thing. Then he sat up he rubbed the top of Avayla's head gently. "Just think of it this way, the sooner you go to sleep, the sooner you can get up and play with Theo again."

"Mmmkay Papa." She mumbled, already falling asleep.

Seonghwa whipped one stray tear off her cheek and kissed her forehead. "Good night baby." Then he and Mingi turned out the lights and moved to the living room.

The other four were already waiting for them. Yeosang had two of the book in his lap and was flipping between them.

Yunho was snuggled into Jongho's chest. Both of their eyes were puffy and red.

"How are they doing?" Mingi asked, placing a hand on Yunho's shoulder.

"They are both sleeping." Jongho said quietly, then sniffed a couple times.

"Good, they need it." Hongjoong ran his hand over his face. "Well this isn't what I was expecting to happen. Why do you think they are stuck in wolf form?"

No one had an answer. They had never heard of this happening before, but then again, there was a lot about the old magic that they still didn't understand. The only problem was they had no idea how to read the ancient language and their only connection to it had died saving Wooyoung's life...

Seonghwa chewed on the inside of his cheek. "Do you think Maria or Kenneth would know anyone?"

"It's possible. They have done a bit of traveling." Yeosang's head snapped up from the books. "I'll call them in the morning and see what they have to say."

"So what happens now?" Seonghwa looked at the rest of them. They had been a pack of six plus two pups for so long now, he was worried about how hard it would be to try and work them back into the picture. Then he scolded himself, of course they would fit back in. They were family. This was all just so surreal right now...

"We take things one day at a time." Hongjoong said, looking at each of them in turn. "They would do the same for any one of us. And we need to be patient and understanding. We will figure it out as a family."

.

.

.

.

San felt the bed shift as Wooyoung moved closer so he was curled into his alpha's side. He let out a content sigh and lifted his head so he could lick the top of his omega's head.

_How are you feeling?_

_Tired... Like I could sleep for years..._ Wooyoung said, not opening his eyes. _It feels weird being home._

_It does, but it feels nice too._

_What if we don't fit in anymore?_

San moved to lick the side of Wooyoung's face. _Don't think like that my love. Of course we will fit. Everything will be ok. We will figure it out._

_I love you, Sannie. Thank you for everything._

San purred as Wooyoung started to rub his face against San's, letting out small whines and whimpers. They needed to find out how to shift soon. Both of their wolves were having a hard time with the overwhelming need to touch each other.

It had been so long...

When they settled back down again, Wooyoung let out a small sigh.

_I love you too, Youngie. Now and forever. We will figure this out_.


	5. 4

Wooyoung yawned and stretched his stiff muscles. That was the best night of sleep he had had in months. He turned to look at where San was still sleeping and nipped at his ear.

The alpha huffed and moved his head away, readjusting so he was turned away from Wooyoung. 

_Sannie_. He stood up on the bed and nipped at his alpha's ear again, letting out a little whine.

_Mmmm sleepy_... San mumbled through the link.

Wooyoung signed and turned to look at the door. Slowly he got down off the bed and padded over to the door. He took the knob in his mouth and tried to turn it.

The door was locked.

Why was the door locked?

Wooyoung whined and scratched at it. He know he would probably rip it open if he wanted to, but he shouldn't have to do that in his own home, right?

Or...

Was this not his home anymore?

He whimpered and scratched at the door again, hoping someone would here. He wished he could just call for Jongho or Yunho.

Then he heard small, bare feet slapping the floor and a high pitched giggle. That had to be Avayla. The handle giggled and Wooyoung backed up, wagging his tail.

"Avayla, stop!" Mingi cried out.

The girl cried out and could be heard running away while Mingi's large feet slammed against the floor.

Wooyoung whined and moved to the door again. What was going on? He as starting to get a little frustrated so he make a couple yapping sounds to try and get someone's attention.

_What's going on?_ San asked. Lifting his head off the bed.

_The door is locked..._ Wooyoung said, pawing at it again.

" **Who the hell locked this door?!** " Jongho roared from the end of the hall.

" **I did!** " Mingi answered. It sounded like Avayla was crying somewhere in the house.

_What the hell?_ San slid off the bed and got in front of Wooyoung, forcing him away from the door.

" **Why?** "

" **Because I'm just trying to look out for our kids!** "

Wooyoung flinched. _What does he mean by that, Sannie?_

_I don't know..._ It was San's turn to whine. Neither one of them liked what was going on outside their room.

" **And what is that supposed to mean?** " Yunho joined in now. " **Are you saying they would harm Ava or Theo?** "

"What? No! Tha-"

" **Yes it is! HOW DARE YOU!** " Yunho yelled. His oak scent was overpowering even in the bedroom.

San snarled as Wooyoung whimpered and submitted to the yelling outside.

" **EVERYONE CALM DOWN NOW!** " Finally Hongjoong joined in and everyone was silenced, even Avayla's crying. " **What is wrong with all of you? This is NOT how a pack acts! GET IN THE OTHER ROOM NOW!** "

Wooyoung shivered at his tone, fully on the floor now. Even San was showing signs of submission, which just went to show Hongjoong's dominance since they weren't technically part of the pack anymore.

As the doorknob started to jiggle again, San moved himself so he was on top of Wooyoung, using his body as a shield.

Hongjoong opened it. Pain covered his face when he saw San and Wooyoung huddled in the corner. "I am so sorry..." His voice cracked and he sank to his knees. San's ears perked up at his show of submission. "I don't... I don't even know what to say... Please forgive us?"

Wooyoung whined and tried to crawl forward but San stopped him and snapped his jaws in Hongjoong's direction. The alpha flinched and nodded. "I know. I think Mingi was worried that if it's a spell that has you stuck in this form, then something else could be present that would harm the kids..."

_I guess I can see that..._ San said, relaxing a little and looking down at Wooyoung. The omega nodded his head and looked back and Hongjoong.

"Tensions are just a little high right now, as you can tell. We were starting to think you weren't coming back, and then for you to appear so suddenly... And not being able to understand you fully doesn't help." Hongjoong bowed his head. "This isn't the welcome you deserve."

At that Wooyoung crawled out from under San and trotted over to the alpha, licking his face a couple times.

"Thanks Youngie... Are you ready to go out?" Hongjoong glanced between the two of them.

Wooyoung glanced back at San, who huffed in response, but walked forward slowly.

Their claws clicked against the hard floor as they walked into the living room. Wooyoung could feel the tension before they even set foot in it.

Mingi was crying into Seonghwa's shoulder, his hands fisting the back of his omega's shirt.

Yeosang was using himself as a wall to keep Yunho and Jongho in check as both glared at the other alpha.

Theo and Avayla were nowhere to be seen.

Wooyoung hesitated for a second, but cautiously stepped into the room. Both Jongho and Yunho ran to him and fell to their knees next to him. "Are you ok, Youngie?" Yunho asked, pressing their foreheads together.

The omega closed his eyes and sighed at the contact, and then purred a little when he felt Jongho's gentle hands stroking his neck and back.

San pushed his head in and licked Yunho's cheek once before turning to stare at Jongho.

"We are glad you're home too." The young alpha said, not taking his hand off Wooyoung.

But the omega knew he needed to step away. He hated to lose that touch, but he needed to do this.

Both his friends made sounds of protest as he walked forward. He kept his head low, eyeing where Mingi and Seonghwa stood off to the side.

Deep down, he couldn't blame Mingi. He was a father now, of course his daughter's safety came first. And he very well could have been right. Wooyoung and San had no way of telling them that they weren't cursed or possessed or something.

He sat in front of the pair, shivering a little as all eyes watched him. San was by his side in a second, a slight snarl on his face as a warning if anything went wrong.

Seonghwa gave them a sad smile as he rubbed the back of Mingi's head.

Wooyoung let out a little whine and watched as Mingi froze. He turned around slowly and covered his face with his hands and fell to his knees. "I'm s-s-so s-sorry... I d-didn't m-mean to mak-ke things wors-s-se. I j-just..."

He was silenced when Wooyoung walked forward and shoved his head into Mingi's chest. His mint scent washed over him and sent a chill down his spine as the alpha wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him close. He sobbed into Wooyoung's fur and just kept tightening the hug.

"I'm s-sorry..." He whispered again.

Wooyoung just whined and put a paw on his knee.

"You're lucky Wooyoung is such a forgiving person." Yunho growled from behind them and Mingi flinched.

"Knock it off. It looks like all is forgiven, so we just need to calm down." Hongjoong said.

"How do we know he's not going to do it again?"

"Yunho please..." Mingi whimpered, bowing his head.

" **Please what? Please forgive you for locking our friends up? You think you're the only one worried for your child's safety? OF COURSE I'M WORRIED ABOUT THEO! THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M WILLING TO LOCK OUR FRIENDS UP!** "

Wooyoung turned to see that Jongho was holding Yunho back, although it looked like he really didn't want to. The beta's eyes were bright blue as he glared at the alpha.

Hongjoong stood, ready to give another order, when Wooyoung surprised them all by snarling at Yunho. His friend stopped immediately and stared at him with wide eyes.

Wooyoung could feel his hackles rising as he continued the awful sound, but he didn't know how else to get his point across.

He wanted this fighting to stop.

And Yunho understood. He bowed his head and went lax in Jongho's grip.

"Ok." Hongjoong sighed, giving Wooyoung a grateful smile. "We all just need to take a deep breath and try to calm down. That's the only way we will be able to help San and Wooyoung come back to us fully."

"Let me go call Maria." Yeosang said quietly. He looked pale and a little shaky as he left the room. 

The seven of them sat in silence for a moment, not looking at each other, until a small sound came from the hallway that drew their attention.

Wooyoung moved away from Mingi and laid down on the floor as Avayla and Theo poked their heads around the corner. "Mama?" The little girl said quietly. They both looked so scared.

Seonghwa and Yunho ran to their child immediately.

"I'm sorry baby, I'm so sorry." Seonghwa said, running his hand through Avayla's hair while wrapping and arm around her.

"Why were you fighting? Was it because I touched the door?"

"No, of course not. One thing you will learn about is that... Our emotions can run a little hot and... Sometimes the wolf takes over. Even grown-ups have a hard time controlling it. I'm sorry if we scared you." Seonghwa whispered.

"It's ok Mama. Is everyone ok now?"

"Yes baby, we are ok." Seonghwa pulled her into another hug. Mingi went to hug his daughter too.

Jongho had also moved to check on Theo. The boy looked scared, but Wooyoung watched as he patted both his parent's faces and gave them a brave smile.

Then the boy turned to look at Wooyoung and tilted his head. He tapped Yunho's shoulder and pointed before staring at Yunho's face.

"That's right, that's Wooyoung and San." Yunho said, ruffling Theo's hair a little.

Wooyoung lowered his head to his paws and tried to contain himself, although he could sense San laughing at the fact that the tip of his tail was wagging slightly. Theo looked like the perfect mix of his parents.

The boy was hesitant as he walked forward and his hand came up to touch the locket at his neck. Wooyoung let out a small whine as his chest constricted. They had worn them. They had been able to have a piece of him and San with them this entire time.

Yunho gave him a knowing smile as tears came to his eyes.

His attention reverted back to Theo as he walked closer and reached out his hand. Wooyoung closed his eyes and shivered with anticipation.

Instead of the small hand he was expecting, Theo fell into his neck and wrapped his arms around him, burying his face in his fur.

He tilted his head to lean into the boy, small whimpers coming from him as he felt all his emotions start to pour out. Then Avayla added to it by coming over to him and hugging the other side of his neck.

"If Theo likes you then I do to." She said, patting his head.

A few chuckles came from the rest of the pack, followed by a sob from Mingi as he hid his face in Seonghwa's shoulder again.

After a few minutes, San came over, a smile tugging at the corner of his jaws. Avayla turned to watch him and giggled when he licked her face. "Ah! That tickles!" She said, rolling on the floor when San lifted a paw to brush it against her stomach.

An instant feeling of relief seemed to fill the house as everyone watched the children accept the two missing pieces of their pack.

Theo moved so he could sit on Wooyoung's back and would laugh when Avayla started running away from San.

Yeosang came back and started to cry as soon as he saw the scene. He sputtered something about Maria being on her way before he had to excuse himself. Hongjoong ran after him and Wooyoung heard him fussing over his beta in the other room.

He turned to look at Seonghwa, who was chuckling with a knowing look on his face. When he caught Wooyoung watching him, he smiled wider. "That's right! I guess you don't know yet. Yeosang is pregnant."

Wooyoung let out a high pitched whine as his tail thumped against the floor. Theo giggled and patted his head in time with his beating tail.

"We are all really happy for them, they have been trying for so long." Seonghwa added. "But now I have to ask... Did you guys find it? Did you find a cure?"

Silence filled the room. Even Avayla and Theo calmed down, sensing the urgency in Seonghwa's voice.

Wooyoung looked at San and let his ears fall back.

He didn't know how to explain it. Neither did San.

They looked at their family and let out a little whine while shrugging their shoulders.


	6. 5

A short time later, Maria came bursting through the door panting heavily. "Alright, I'm here! Where is he? What's wrong with the baby?" She asked while trying to shed all of her winter gear. She never even looked in the room. "I could hear he was upset. Please tell me he didn't fall. Whe-"

"Maria, I'm fine." Yeosang said, walking over to her. He had calmed down with the help of Hongjoong and was avoiding looking at anyone. He felt so embarrassed that he had been so emotional earlier, even though he knew it was just the hormones.

"Oh honey," she cupped his face and then started to look him over. "You look like you've been crying! What's the matter?"

A whine came from behind them and Maria poked her head over Yeosang's shoulder. She dropped her hands from his face only to cover her own mouth.

Yeosang stepped aside so she could shuffle forward and hug both San and Wooyoung at the same time. Theo and Avayla moved out of the way for a moment, but soon they too were hugging the wolves, giggling slightly.

"It's about time you boys came home!" Maria pulled back with a sudden scolding tone. "Do you have any idea what you have put the others through?"

Both of them hung their heads in shame and looked at the floor.

"It's ok Maria, it's been a rough morning already." Seonghwa said, moving to her side and placing a hand on her shoulders. She just 'humphed' as he helped her stand up.

"There was something that held them up," Hongjoong ran his hand through his hair, "But for some reason they are stuck in this form, and we have no way of really communicating. We were hoping you might know someone who knows the ancient text." He held up the three books.

Maria's mouth opened a little as she stepped forward. "Where did you get these?" She whispered.

"One we got from an ally before we moved here. The other two San and Wooyoung brought back with them." Yeosang went to grab one of them. "She left some notes in her book, so I've been able to decipher some of it, but there's just too much... Can you help us?"

The woman chewed on her bottom lip. "Where did you get those books from?" She turned to look at San.

The alpha bowed his head as his ears fell back.

"Was it Ultima?" 

Wooyoung now lowered himself to the ground. San licked the top of his head to try and comfort him and let out a small whine.

"What is the matter with Ultima?" Hongjoong looked between them.

Maria sighed and went to sit down. "Ultima... is my old pack. And they are not ones to be messed with. They are one of the few ancient packs left."

"You know, we keep hearing about these ancient packs and they keep popping up." Mingi growled. "And everyone makes it sound like they don't exist anymore!"

"They really don't." Maria gave him a sad look. "I think you boys have a knack for attracting trouble so they keep crossing your path. Primera and Ultima are really the two major ones that are left, if I'm being honest. There are a few stragglers that have managed to survive from others, but really those are the last two that still practice ancient magic."

"Oh we know that all too well." Yunho said, coming to move next to Wooyoung. "We came from Primera."

Maria's eyes widened as she looked at them. "And they let you live?" She glanced at Wooyoung.

"They tried to do everything they could to stop him. Both Wooyoung and Yeosang were forced to drink potions that burned their mating mark away." Yunho clenched his jaw, but his face softened when Wooyoung put his head in his lap.

"I wish you boys could tell me what you were doing with Ultima, but hand over the books. I'm a bit rusty, but I might be able to find something. No promises though... Oh, and will someone call Kenneth and let him know I may not be home for awhile?"

"Sure." Seonghwa jumped up and went for the phone. "I'll invite him to come over too if he'd like."

"That would be nice, thank you." Maria smiled. "Now, show me those notes Yeosang. You look like you need to sit down anyway. We can't have you getting too stressed out."

Yeosang nodded, grateful for the excuse to get off his feet.

He and Maria settled down on the couch and started flipping through Lizbeth's book and reading over her notes. When he got to the section with missing pages, he explained that those are what caused San and Wooyoung to leave in the first place, hoping that they held the cure for the omega.

Maria just nodded and opened one of the other books. Her hands shook as she looked over the pages. Seonghwa came to sit on her other side and Maria let out a content sigh. Both boys liked having her around since she had been, and still is, such a big help with the kids.

Yeosang knew she felt the same way about them. Getting to be around pups again was something she had wanted for a long time.

.

.

.

.

Yunho smiled as Wooyoung followed him into Theo's nursery for a nap. The small boy was rubbing his eyes and yawning as he snuggled into Yunho's shoulder.

The omega let out a little whine, sitting patiently as Yunho went to lay Theo down, but once he realized what was going on, he started to cry.

"Theo, sweetie, its nap time. You can barely keep your eyes open." Yunho cooed, kissing his tiny forehead.

Even though he couldn't hear, Theo still seemed to understand what Yunho was getting at and shook his head. Then he turned around, looked at Wooyoung, and pointed to him.

Sighing, Yunho crouched down so that Theo could stand on his own two feet and he scampered over to the omega, hitting him hard enough that he fell onto his side. But that appeared to be what Theo wanted because he let out a small giggle and nuzzled his face into Wooyoung's side.

Yunho could tell, even in his wolf form, that Wooyoung would be blushing right now at the action. He smiled and sat on the floor so he could run his hands through Theo's hair. It was still hard for him sometimes that he couldn't talk to Theo at a time like this. But at the same time, they had a different kind of silent relationship that was special in its own way.

Theo was so expressive with his face that you always knew what he was feeling. And right now, Yunho could tell that he was happy being with Wooyoung.

"He must know how much I missed you." He said quietly.

The omega shifted next to him so he could place his head in his lap. He let out a small whine and licked Yunho's other hand.

"I know..." Yunho sighed and leaned against the wall. He loved that he still knew all of Wooyoung's signals, so he could get a basic idea of what he was saying. Or maybe it was just his practice with Theo. "We didn't really get an answer earlier. Did you guys find it? Was it worth being gone for so long?"

He had to work hard to keep the hurt out of his voice, but Wooyoung still put his ears back. He could tell the omega was frustrated with not being able to speak to him.

"Blink once for yes, twice for no." Yunho said quickly.

Wooyoung glanced up at him and scrunched his nose.

He blinked once.

Then he blinked twice.

"What does that mean?" Yunho asked, more to himself than to his friend.

Theo let out a soft sound and nuzzled deeper into Wooyoung's orange and white fur. His hands held onto the omega as he rubbed his face against Wooyoung's side. It was obvious he had fallen asleep and was working on nestling in deeper.

A small hum came from Wooyoung as he pressed his head into Yunho's stomach.

"We will figure this out. But you're never allowed to leave again, you hear me?" Yunho moved so he could lay on the floor next to Wooyoung and look into his eyes. Theo was now in between them, cuddled into Wooyoung's side and stomach. Yunho placed his hand on the omega's paws and closed his eyes. "Please. It hurt too much."

Wooyoung stuck his tongue out to like the tip of Yunho's nose and blinked once.

.

.

.

.

San sat in the living room watching Maria, Yeosang, and Seonghwa work on deciphering the books. He knew there was something in there that could fix them. If Ultima had been able to lock them in these forms, then their book could free them.

And he needed it to be soon. He was running out of time...

After watching the trio for a few hours, he went to go find Wooyoung. Following his scent, he trotted down the hall and paused when he saw Jongho leaning against the doorway to Theo's nursery.

He huffed to announce his presence, earning a smile from the younger. Jongho then put a finger to his lips and motioned for San to look in the room.

His heart melted.

Yunho was laying on the ground curled around Wooyoung, who in turn was curled around Theo. The little boy was laying against the omega's side, but one hand was holding onto Yunho's shirt.

He sat down and leaned into Jongho's leg, craving that connection with his alpha. Jongho put a hand on his head. "How's the research coming?"

San sighed and closed his eyes.

"It'll take some time. But you have all of our support. You know that, right?" Jongho looked down at him and San nodded in response. "I hope you're ready to do a lot of talking, because there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. How much trouble are you guys in with Ultima?"

His eyes flashed up to Jongho and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Ok. Well we will cross that bridge when we get there."

They both stayed in the doorway for a long moment just watching their mates sleep.

San yawned and stretched before returning to the living room. Hongjoong and Mingi were helping Kenneth inside. His face lit up when he saw San and he started to move to greet him.

"I think I found it!" Maria said, standing up quickly. Everyone froze and turned to look at her. "Yes, this one appears to be talking about 'form locking'... It's a boundary spell, where if you step over it, it'll trigger the lock and keep you in whatever form you are in. It's a complicated spell... And I need to get a few things for it. It also needs the full moon when I perform it."

"That's two weeks from now." Hongjoong said. "What can we do to help you prepare?"

"We need to find a spot where I can set this up and it will just be the two of them. We can't risk any of you getting caught in the spell too. Let me get a list of ingredients together that we need to gather and we can come up with a game plan."

Maria turned to San and beamed. "We will have you boys back to normal soon!"

San let out a little yelp and wagged his tail, even though his heart started to race. Two weeks was going to be pushing things.

He turned to Jongho and tugged on his shirt. "What is it San?" He whispered.

San cursed inwardly for not being able to talk with him. The others watched as he scrambled into the kitchen looking for something to write with. He yanked open one of the drawers and pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil.

He whined as he tried to write what he needed to say. Jongho and Hongjoong were at his side instantly, the younger placing a hand on his side.

He had to start over several times as holding the pencil in his mouth was hard and his letters were all squiggly, but finally he got something written.

'NO TIME. NEED WINTER SNOWBELL.'


	7. 6

"Maria!" Hongjoong called.

She hurried over to the kitchen followed closely by Yeosang. "What is it?"

"What is a winter snowbell?"

The color drained from the beta's face as she stared at Hongjoong. "What did you just say?"

The alpha held up San's note. "What is a winter snowbell? San says he needs it for something. What is it?"

Maria shook her head and took a step back. "No. I can't." Her eyes shot to San, who was glaring at the woman with red eyes. "How did you find out about it?"

San let out a low growl and flicked his head at the book in her hand.

"Maria?" Yeosang asked quietly, laying a hand on her shoulder. Everyone except Yunho and Wooyoung were in the room now. Seonghwa had just come back from putting Avayla down for a short nap and had moved to stand next to Mingi.

Kenneth held onto his mates hand and kissed her forehead. "They deserve to know."

The woman leaned into his touch and nodded. Then she closed her eyes and spoke with trembling words. "You all know that we were banished from my old pack for losing a baby. That wasn't the entire truth. I was sick, yes, but it wasn't a normal sickness. I had some infection in my lungs that was killing me. Winter snowbell is a rare flower that grows in deep snow, and it only blooms every four years. It's an old, rare plant that is used for healing. When worked into the correct potion, it can heal internal malfunctions. But it comes with a terrible cost. The person who consumes it becomes dangerously sick, and if they aren't strong enough, it can kill them."

The room was silent as she spoke.

"I was taking it to try and heal my lungs. That's why I lost the baby... I was fighting for my own life."

"It was horrible." Kenneth said. "She had night sweats and terrors, spent countless days throwing up, and always had a fever. Winter snowbell is not something that is meant to be digested, so your body rejects it. You have to keep taking it to keep it in your system."

"And you'll only know if it works if you drink the mixture one day and it tastes like fresh, cold water. Or melted snow. The rest of the time, it is the most vial substance you will ever drink. And it's different for everyone. For me, it tasted like a combination of human cough syrup, rotten eggs, and spoiled milk... Just another defense your body puts up to try and reject it." Maria shuddered at the memory.

"Why on earth would you need that?" Mingi asked, rounding on San.

Hongjoong watched as San straightened out and tried to figure out what to say. He held out the pen and paper again and San wrote a very shaky 'WY'.

"Wooyoung? What about him?" Seonghwa said, looking around at everyone.

San whined and stamped his paw on the floor in frustration.

Then Jongho straightened up and his eyes flashed red. " **No.** " His hands balled up into fists.

San stared him down and just blinked.

" **You'd be willing to risk his life? It's not worth it!** "

"Jongho, calm down." Hongjoong moved to stand in between them. "What are you talking about?"

The younger had to look away and take several deep breaths to keep his wolf under control. Hongjoong could feel his inner struggle and put a hand on his second in command. "They want to use this flower to try and cure Wooyoung's disease." He hissed through his teeth.

Everyone in the circle shifted. "But, didn't Maria just say..." Yeosang whispered.

"San..." Seonghwa said quietly.

The alpha turned and looked at each one in turn.

Hongjoong bit his lip. "Did you know about this? Is this why you couldn't give us a solid yes or no answer?"

San nodded.

"Does he know the risk?" Mingi growled. San rounded on him and growled back, making the taller flinch.

"Ok, ok." Hongjoong said, holding his hands up. "We are not going to do this again. Jongho, well you go get the other two please? I think we need to have a family discussion."

The younger nodded and walked away.

Hongjoong worked to usher everyone into the living room, Maria and Kenneth included. Tensions were high, especially when Jongho walked in holding hands with Yunho. Wooyoung moved to San's side immediately and leaned into him.

"We know about the winter snowbell." Hongjoong said.

.

.

.

.

_What?_ Wooyoung turned to look at San. _How did they find out?_

_I had to tell them. Maria thinks she can fix us, but I could take two weeks before we can shift again. We are running out of time to collect the flower._

Wooyoung whined as his ears fell back.

"Maria told us what it does." Hongjoong continued, looked to her for approval. She nodded her head from where she was leaning into her mate. "She has taken it before."

The omega snapped his head to look at her. So it was possible to live through it. There was a survivor sitting right in front of him.

"I know what you are thinking." Kenneth said, his face hardening. "It's not for the faint of heart."

"Ok, will someone please tell me what is going on here?" Yunho asked, sitting up straighter. "What did I miss?" He looked at Jongho, who clenched his jaw and stared at the floor.

_Jongho isn't taking it well I see..._

_No. But did you really expect any of them to take this well?_ San said, fidgeting a little.

_No_...

"They found a cure." Hongjoong spoke quietly. "But there's a risk." He added when he saw Yunho start to get excited. "According to Maria, its old magic that, while it could heal Wooyoung's disease, his body will try to reject it. It could kill him."

"What?! No!" Yunho tried to get off the couch, but Jongho wrapped his arms around his waist, pining his arms to his side to hold him in place. Pain crossed the alpha's face and he looked like he was about to break down as he buried his face in Yunho's back. "I just told you that you could never leave me again!" Tears formed in Yunho's eyes as he stared at Wooyoung.

Once again, Wooyoung felt his heart sinking. All they did by coming home was cause more pain...

_Don't go there._ San said, a low rumble coming from his chest.

Wooyoung looked at him, knowing he was right. He had to stay strong and positive. So he stood up and walked over to Yunho, sitting in front of him and placing a paw on his knee. He had to find a way to show Yunho that he thought it would be ok.

"Why w-would you want to r-risk this?" Yunho asked, still trying to break out of Jongho's grip.

The omega extended his leg to point to Yunho's stomach, then turned to look at San.

"I know, Youngie, I know." The beta said, a slight growl of frustration entering his voice.

"We know you want to have a pup." Yeosang added. "But is it really worth risking your life? Because it's not to us."

"We'd rather have you here and alive, but just be an uncle, than not be here at all." Mingi leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees and sighed deeply. "Do you really think you could even handle it?"

Wooyoung nodded immediately. He and San had spent many long hours discussing the consequences, and while San wasn't one hundred percent behind the idea, he agreed to support Wooyoung's decision.

"Youngie..." Hongjoong said, his face scrunching up in pain as he glanced at Maria. She was still curled into Kenneth's embrace.

He had to show them... Then he got an idea. Wooyoung jumped up and stared at Mingi, pointed a paw at him, then drew and 'X' on the ground.

The alpha shook his head slightly in confusion.

Wooyoung huffed and looked around the room. There was a toy sword sticking out of a toy chest in the corner, so he ran over and grabbed. He returned to standing in front of Mingi and poked the sword into his chest right over his heart.

"Oh! You killed Mingi's father!" Yeosang said.

Wooyoung nodded and then turned to Yunho and Jongho. They straightened up as he walked over and placed both paws on Jongho's legs and stood on his hind legs. He tapped Jongho's leg twice, then placed his nose against the spot where his mating mark used to be.

Jongho shivered at the contact and let out a little sigh. When the omega pulled back, he blinked a few times as they locked eyes. "You... You survived losing your mating bond twice..." He whispered.

"What?" Maria said, lifting her head off her mate's shoulder.

San let out a whimper from behind them, trying to tell Maria that it was true. Wooyoung could hear one of the others filling her in, but at this moment all he cared about was trying to show Jongho and Yunho how confident he was in his decision.

"Where can we find these flowers?" Jongho asked turning to look at Maria.

She gave him a grim look. "The mountain peaks to the west of here. They grow in the deepest know drifts, underneath the snow. Getting them is almost as dangerous as taking them."

The alpha nodded and placed his hand on the side of Wooyoung's face.

"Ok." Yunho said for the both of them. "If everyone else agrees, then we do too."

Wooyoung whined and pressed his head against Jongho's chest.

"How can we not agree?" Seonghwa said, his voice wavering a little. "He has a point. He survived losing a bond twice. That kills most wolves. Plus he did kill Alistar. Wooyoung is tougher that we give him credit for. If anyone can get through taking this, this winter snowbell, then it's him."

The omega felt his heart pound as he got agreements from the rest of his family.

Hongjoong stood up and clapped his hands twice. "Ok. What do we need to do to make this work? Maria, you said we need a separate place to set up the unlocking spell. And we will work on getting the ingredients you need. Do you know what is needed for the snowbell potion?"

"Yes. I do." She said, confidence slowly returning to her voice.

"Perfect. Now who will go look for the snowbell?"

San stood up and let out a little yap. Jongho stood too. "I'll go."

"No, you're needed here for Theo." Hongjoong said, rubbing his chin. Then he turned to Yeosang. He didn't need to say anything before his beta nodded.

"It's ok." Yeosang said with a smile. "Just don't be gone for too long."

"I love you." Hongjoong breathed, kissing Yeosang passionately.

"Seonghwa and I can do ingredient runs then." Mingi said. "Are we going to need to go far?"

"I don't think so." Maria sighed. "But I can double check. There's a few rare ingredients, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of the neighboring settlements might have them. I do have some connections."

Wooyoung felt his chest swell as his family planned how to help him. He hummed when he felt San's tongue against his neck.

_It's finally happening, Sannie. We are going to have a family._

_I love your optimism my love, but promise me you'll try not to get your hopes up too high. I'm still standing by my side of the deal._ His tone got harsh and he stopped licking the omega's neck.

_Yes, I know._ Wooyoung bowed his head.

_Wooyoung, look at me._

He obeyed, looking up to meet San's gaze.

_I will not give up my side of the deal. I will not. If I sense that the treatment isn't working, I will not hesitate to stop giving it to you. I don't care how much you beg. I will stop it, because I will not lose you._

_I wouldn't have it any other way, Sannie. I don't want to leave you._

San shook his head. _I just don't want you to resent me if that happens._

_I would ne-_

_Wooyoung. I will chose you over the potential of having a pup any day. I need you to understand that. I know this will be rough on you, but it's going to be just a rough on me, and the others. I'm sure they will support my decisions to stop the treatments if it comes to it._

Wooyoung leaned forward and nuzzled into San's neck. _I'm scared too. But thank you for letting me try._

_Anything for you, my love._


	8. 7

"Mama, can I get a snack please!" Avayla asked as she tugged on Seonghwa's hand.

"Sure baby, we will look for something. I need you to be good while we are in here though, ok?" He looked down at his daughter. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she looked around the small market. She just nodded in response and moved closer to him as a group of older kids walked by.

It was a little bit of a sensory overload. Mingi had driven them to the nearest human city, almost two hours away, to find some of the things that Maria needed. There were so many people around, it messed with his senses.

"We don't need much, right?" Seonghwa looked up at Mingi, noticing that he too looked on edge.

"No. Just some herbs and crystals."

"Good. I want to get home as soon as possible." The omega reached down to take his daughter's hand so he knew where she was.

He was impressed by how well she was behaving right now, but the wide eyes on her face told him that her senses were being overloaded too. She would mostly likely be showing signs of her wolf within the year.

They still needed to plan something for her birthday...

"This way." Mingi said, pulling them to the right and down a small alley. He had spotted a small spice shop tucked in the corner.

Stepping inside, Seonghwa knew they'd be able to find most of what they needed. Dried herbs hung form almost every section of the ceiling and there were jars upon jars of dry, ground, and fresh spices.

A kind old lady shuffled up to them and asked how she could help, and Mingi gave her his list. Avayla followed after her, watching with wide eyes as she sorted through everything.

Seonghwa poked around the store, loving the aromas that washed over him. But there was something that he had been wanting to ask Mingi and now that they were alone, he figured he should.

"What's wrong, precious?" Mingi asked, walking over as if he had sensed what Seonghwa was thinking. "I can see it written all over your face, so don't try to hide it."

Taking a deep breath, Seonghwa bit his bottom lip and looked up at his mate. "Why did you do it?"

The sigh that came from Mingi indicated that he knew exactly what Seonghwa was referring to. "Because I needed to know that they were ok. When San said they were locked in this form because of a spell... It made me remember when my father took over my mind and turned me against all of you. I'll never forget the horrible things I said about Wooyoung, or visiting Yeosang and mocking him in his cell..."

Tears started to well up in Mingi's eyes and Seonghwa took his hand to comfort him. The alpha's voice never wavered though.

"I had no idea that I was under a spell either. If anything, I thought my life with you was a lie... That... Being back with Lance and my father was where I belonged. That's why I locked the door. I know it was the foolish thing to do, but I was so scared that they would go after Ava and Theo."

Now Seonghwa turned to pull him into a hug. "You're right, it was foolish... When are you going to learn to talk to me about these things?" He reached up to cup Mingi's chin. "We went through this before with me finding out about you being from Alpha Pack, and again with your father. Mingi, I chose you as my mate. I chose to give you my heart." He fingered the necklace Mingi wore every day with the 'S' and 'Baby Girl' charms on it.

Mingi let out a loud sniff and buried his face in his omega's shoulder. Seonghwa could tell he was fighting so hard to not cry in public. "I'm sorry, Hwa."

The older hummed. "Have I ever told you that I love it when you call me that?"

"No." Mingi said, pulling back to smile at Seonghwa and run his hand through his hair.

"You don't have to be the big tough alpha all the time."

"I'll work on it my love, I promise." The younger said softly.

"Good." Seonghwa tilted his head up to connect their lips, his wolf purring at the contact as Mingi continued to run his hand through the omega's hair.

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.

After saying a long goodbye to their mates, Hongjoong and San began their journey up to the mountain peaks.

Not being able to communicate with each other didn't make it easy, but at this point in time all they had to focus on was running. Thankfully their wolves had excellent endurance so they could run for hours without getting tired.

Maria had drawn them a rough map that they had stowed away in the pack on Hongjoong's back. It was pretty simple though.

They just had to run to the highest peaks and dig in the snow. It sounded ridiculous, but they had been through stranger.

The higher they traveled, the slower they had to go. The snow was up to their chests and it made maneuvering hard. Several times they would jump up, trying to get on top of the snow, but it wasn't frozen enough to bear their weight yet.

At one point, San whined and yelped when he landed in a drift that swallowed him whole.

Hongjoong dove forward and dug a path out for his fellow alpha, rushing to his side to make sure he was ok.

The soot colored wolf shivered against the wind and rubbed his head against Hongjoong's neck in thanks. Then he turned to leave again, but Hongjoong nipped at his ear to get him to stop.

It was starting to get dark, and the wind was only getting worse.

He jerked his head to the hole that San had made and trotted over to it. Carefully, he started to dig out a little snow cave. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get them out of the wind for the night.

San picked up on what he was doing and ran into the trees, ripping down branches from fir trees to use as additional covering.

Once they were situated, the two alphas curled up together to wait out the cold night.

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.

Theo squealed and clapped his hands as he sat on Wooyoung's back. The omega turned his head to glance at him and stuck his tongue out before trotting in circles around the living room and kitchen.

Yunho smiled as he watched them. He loved that his son had bonded so quickly with his best friend. It showed that he was a lot smarter than others would probably give him credit for. There was no way anyone could not trust Wooyoung.

He was the kindest soul Yunho had ever met, and he was so happy to have him home where he belonged.

The small omega had seemed to get a second wind once everyone had said they would help him with the cure. He had been playing with Theo nonstop while they waited for everything to be set in motion.

Yunho sighed when he smelled Jongho enter the room, then closed his eyes when he felt his alpha's hand on his head.

They settled on the couch together and chuckled as Wooyoung made another lap around the room. Theo was laying down now, fisting his fur and giggling.

_Are you doing ok?_ Jongho asked in a private link.

_I don't know. I have mixed feelings about everything._

_I do too. I didn't think they'd actually find a cure..._ Jongho chewed on his lip, but then smiled as Wooyoung came into view again. As strange as it may sound to most people, Yunho adored the way Jongho's eyes lit up when he looked at Wooyoung.

It had never bothered him having to share his mate with the omega. He knew Jongho wished he could still show his love for Wooyoung in more ways than just hugs and words, but that was between him and San, and Jongho would never impose.

So Yunho just always made sure to give him extra love when he needed it. Like now, he moved so he was partially sitting in his alpha's lap and he nuzzled his nose against his mating mark.

He felt Jongho purr at the action and his own wolf churned when his alpha pulled him in close.

_But they did find it._ Yunho said, closing his eyes.

_And I'm happy they did. I know it's all Woo has ever wanted. But the fact that it comes with such a high risk..._

_Yeah... I suppose all we can do is have faith in him. It's his choice to make, as much as we think we can have a say in it sometimes._

Jongho chuckled and pressed his lips against Yunho's forehead. _I love you. I feel like I don't tell you that enough._

Yunho felt a wide smile tear across his face. _I love you too, Jongho. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. You and Theo._

_Well none of this would have happened if you hadn't stopped to help an injured stranger._

_You looked like you needed saving._ Yunho said with a smirk. _Poor, defenseless Alpha._

A low growl came from Jongho's chest as he tightened his grip and moved him so he could nip at his mating mark. Yunho shivered and bit his lip.

A small hand tapped his knee and Yunho instinctively grabbed his son under his arms to pull him into his lap. Theo placed a hand on both his parent's cheeks and snuggled into their embrace.

Jongho shifted, and then the couch jolted. Yunho opened his eyes to see Wooyoung nuzzling the top of his head into Jongho's face while the alpha had one arm wrapped around him. Wooyoung settled down after a moment, laying his head on top of Yunho's legs so it was also resting against Jongho's stomach.

They all let out a collective sigh of relief as they let this moment of peace wash over them.

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Yeosang smiled as he walked through the room and saw his pack huddled on the couch together. They were going to need to savor this moment. If Maria's thoughts on the upcoming spells held any truth to them, they were in for a rough ride.

He worked quickly to prepare some tea for the mated betas and brought it to their room for them.

Maria had been working none stop to decipher the spell books. There were a lot of things in there that could be useful in the future, but their main concern was getting San and Wooyoung back to their normal selves to start with.

Kenneth had gone out and found a small ravine in the mountains that would work for the transformation. There was a cave at the end that they would put the barrier across. The transformation was going to be painful and could take several days according to the book, so the cave would provide shelter for them.

"Thanks honey." Maria said, accepting the tea. "I hope San and Hongjoong get back soon, although I fear they may have to spend the night up there depending on the weather."

"I'm sure they will be ok." Yeosang said, although his heart ached at the thought of his mate sleeping out in the cold. "At least they have each other."

The woman smiled and took his hand. "Yes they do."

"So what happens when they return with this snowbell flower?"

"We will need to keep it in the freezer to keep them cold until it's time to brew the potion. It's a complicated one to make, and it can take almost two months to be completed."

Yeosang hissed at the thought, but Wooyoung had waited this long so he was sure to be ok with waiting longer.

"I know. But thankfully, once it's brewed, it doesn't expire or go bad. And we most likely won't need all the flowers they bring back, which is good. There's no saying how much potion it's going to take." Maria ran a hand through her graying hair.

"I told them to bring back as much as they could, just in case." Kenneth said, placing a comforting hand on his mate's shoulder. "Maybe he will be lucky and he won't need much."

"That could be possible." Yeosang said quietly. "He's the toughest little omega I've ever met."

Maria chuckled. "He'd have to be if he did everything you say he did."

"I watched my pack die when their alpha did on the battlefield. They dropped one by one and I was so worried I would be next. Knowing Hongjoong was out there fighting to protect me was agony. I can't even imagine what Wooyoung went through when he was forced to stay behind. He's been through more pain then any of us, and I wish he didn't have to go through even more... he doesn't deserve it."

"You know," Maria said while squeezing his hand, "I heard something interesting when we were living amongst the humans. They follow what they call 'religions' and one religion has a belief that we are never given more than we can handle. All of our challenges, turmoil, and pain... It's never more than we can personally handle, and it's meant to help us become stronger. I don't know that I personally believe in it, but it seems to fit our little omega perfectly, doesn't it?"

Yeosang smiled. "It does. Thank you, both of you, for being here with us."

"Thank you for having us." Maria said with a wink. "You have made this old beta very happy, dear. Now, how about we do a little exam to make sure baby is ok?"

She carefully placed her hands on Yeosang's stomach. He hummed and relaxed instantly at her touch, enjoying the strange calming feeling the midwife gave him.


	9. 8

The early morning brought vicious winds and more snow to the alpha pair as they dug their way out of the shelter they had built and continued their trek to steeper slopes.

They took turns leading the way, the front alpha plowing the way and taking the brunt of the storm while the other one rested.

It was a hard journey and they were both exhausted.

But still they continued on. San took longer shifts as leader, using his motivation to help his mate to press forward. He spent a long time digging out a path using his paws and even his nose.

Hongjoong whined behind him, expressing his worry about the journey.

It was so cold that even their fur coats weren't doing much to help them. They were chilled to the bone and couldn't stop shivering as they got higher and higher.

The snow was relentless and the wind even worse. Strong gusts would pummel them and force them to stumble to the side while forcing snow to get packed into their coats.

At one point, San fell forward with a whimper and started to crawl along, trying to get out of the wind.

Hongjoong joined him as they continued their slow trek up the mountain.

.

.

.

.

Mingi huffed as he ran around the perimeter of the territory. San and Hongjoong had been gone for almost two full days now and everyone was starting to get anxious.

He should have gone with them. Or Jongho. They were the strongest alphas.

What if something had happened to them?

They could be hurt and stuck without any way of fully communicating with each other.

He was so deep in thought, Mingi missed the flash of silver to his right as he slowed to a trot. He growled as he swatted a rock out of his way, trying to take his anger out on something.

_Mingi, dinner is almost ready. Are you almost done?_ Seonghwa asked. His voice was soft and hesitant, so the alpha knew he sensed his anger.

_Yes. I'll be home soon._ He turned to face the house then paused.

Something ran in front of him and his senses were immediately on high alert. He watched the trees, not blinking. There was no scent for him to pick up on, so he started to think he just imagined it.

But no, just as he was turning to leave, something silvery flashed in the moonlight.

Mingi growled and crouched low. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he crept forward.

His nostrils flared as he tried to pick up on anything that could be out of place, but all he could smell was the forest.

He stopped and spun in a circle.

Nothing.

Then something slammed into his side, sending him to the forest floor. He yelped and tried to stand back up, but something hit him again.

All he could process was flashes of silver.

And then there was nothing.

After he had been pushed around for several minutes, suddenly it all stopped. Mingi blinked and panted as he stood there trying to figure out what just happened.

He knew of only one thing with that silver color, and if it really was what he thought it was...

Mingi bolted, running to the house as fast as his long legs would carry him. He slid to a stop outside the back door, shifted, and changed before bursting inside.

The others all paused and looked at him. "What's wrong?" Jongho asked, moving closer.

"Lock all the doors and windows. Now!" He ordered, spinning around to lock the back door.

Everyone scrambled to do as he said, running from room to room. Wooyoung sat with the kids, his ears perked forward as he waited to find out what was going on.

When everyone had gathered again, Mingi sighed and looked out to the backyard. "Something attacked me. I'm fine, really it just pushed me around... But I couldn't tell what it was. It was almost as if it was a ghost..." He said quietly, turning to look at Seonghwa. "I'm sorry if I scared you, I'd just rather be safe than sorry."

"That's ok, love. We are all on edge too. Let's just try to have a nice evening."

"Because it's my birthday!!" Avayla said, jumping up and down and breaking the tension.

Mingi ran over to her and picked her up, swinging her in a circle. "That's right! My baby girl is growing up so fast." He rubbed their noses together and pulled her in for a hug.

They had decided to do a nice dinner on the night of her birthday, even though they weren't all together, and then they'd do a joint celebration next month for both her and Theo.

It was a little strange not having Hongjoong there. The six of them had never missed a birthday and Yeosang was showing signs of missing his mate.

Wooyoung on the other hand had a hard time hiding his giddiness. Even as a wolf he had a bright smile on his face and his tail didn't stop wagging as he scampered around the kitchen.

He stuck close to Yunho's side, not wanting to miss anything. They even set him a place at the table so he could sit with them, although it wasn't easy for him to balance on the small seat so he just went to sit on the couch while they ate.

Mingi had a hard time containing his smile whenever he caught glimpse of the pout on his face or when he would sigh.

Seonghwa had spent all day baking and decorating a cake, which he beamed when he saw Avayla's eyes light up when she saw it. It was a simple faded pink color with edible pearls and intricate swirls decorating the surface of it.

"Mama, is that for me?" She asked, bouncing up and down in her seat.

"Of course it is baby. Now you have to share with everyone, but you get to blow the candles out. Make a wish." He said, kissing the top of her head while Mingi lit the candle.

Avayla scrunched her eyes shut, showing she was thinking really hard. Theo reached out to grab her hand and smiled as she blew out the candle.

Everyone clapped and Wooyoung whined as he rested his head against the back of the couch.

"You know, maybe we should just leave you that way Wooyoung. It's kind of like having a pet dog." Mingi smirked and crossed his arms.

The omega's eyes flashed gold as he glared at the alpha, but a high pitched whine exited his mouth several times at the same time.

Everyone started laughing as Wooyoung turned to bury his head in the pillows. At this, Theo made a sound like he was worried and scrambled down from the table. Yunho straightened up and watched as he pulled himself onto the couch to cuddle into the omega's back. His tail started thumping against the couch.

"See? Dog." Mingi snickered as he passed out slices of cake to everyone.

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San and Hongjoong searched wearily for another place to stay for the night. They hadn't intended on being gone this long, but this storm came out of nowhere.

And it was just getting worse.

Hongjoong started to limp a little as his legs started to get stiff. He nipped at San's tail to get his attention. The other alpha turned to look at him, his eyes barely open.

The older turned and motioned for them to go back, but San just shook his head and jerked his head to the cliff face in front of them.

Winter snowbells liked growing near cliffs...

They surged forward and started to dig down into the snow. It was a slow process as they were both exhausted.

But all they needed was a sign that they had found the right place.

San started to clear a wide area for them as they got further down. It seemed like the snow wouldn't end.

Hongjoong started to slow down.

Their breathing became labored.

The older stumbled over to San and pressed his head into his side.

They collapsed together and dragged themselves to the side of the snowbank, seeking protection from the wind as their world went black.

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Seonghwa smiled as he watched Avayla drift off to sleep. Her small hands clenched and unclenched several times around the small wolf plush that Maria had made for her.

When her eyes finally closed, he backed out of the room and turned off the lights before heading back to his own bedroom.

He gasped when he saw Mingi waiting for him holding a single rose. "What's this?"

"Well, I wanted to do something special for you too. Remember what Maria said about this day? I know it's been a few years coming, but Avayla fell asleep early tonight, so I wanted to show you my love." Mingi bit his lip and blushed slightly.

Seonghwa felt a wide smile tear across his face as he ran forward and jumped into Mingi's arms. He didn't care if it was supposed to be some special human holiday, he was just happy that his mate had wanted to do something for him.

And it had been awhile since they had an evening to themselves.

They connected their lips in a passionate kiss as Mingi squeezed the back of his thighs. The omega already felt his wolf bursting forward as he placed his hands on Mingi's cheeks. " **Alpha...** " He moaned into their kiss.

Mingi growled as he plunged his tongue in, taking over immediately. "So much for the romance." He chuckled when pulling back for a breath.

"Oh we both know you're too dominant to keep up any romance façade." Seonghwa moved to nibble on his ear.

"And we both know that you love it." The younger said, his voice getting deep and husky. It sent a chill down Seonghwa's spine. "Shall we play a game?"

Seonghwa gulped as his wolf churned. He locked eyes with his alpha and shivered when he was met with dark red.

" **Let's see how quiet you can be, while I try to make you scream my name.** "

That was all it took. Seonghwa knew he was a goner as Mingi threw him onto the bed. He bit back the yelp, determined to stay quiet for as long as possible.

Mingi on the other hand worked quickly to strip them both of their clothes before descending on him and capturing his mouth once more. He grabbed both of the omega's hands and pinned them above his head, taking advantage of his large hands to hold them in place.

Seonghwa squirmed in response, but still didn't make a sound. And boy was that hard for him to do when all he wanted was to moan and let all the good feelings he had out.

The younger sensed his internal struggle and brought is other hand up to start tweaking his nipples, moving quickly between both of them to keep the stimulation high.

Testing his luck, Seonghwa tried to pull his hands away, but Mingi's grip just got tighter as he broke the kiss and attacked his neck and shoulders.

Seonghwa bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut, forcing his whimpers down as Mingi sucked on his mating mark.

This was absolute torture.

And Mingi was taking full advantage of it.

" **Come on precious, let Alpha hear you.** " He purred, nuzzling the mark and then shifting quickly to suck on one of his nipples.

Seonghwa arched his back and scrunched his face. His mouth opened up wide as he continued to stay silent.

"Moan for me." Mingi teased, moving to the other nipple. Seonghwa shook his head back and forth. " **Moan for Alpha.** "

That one was an order.

Seonghwa let out a deep moan right as Mingi's free hand found his hardened length. "N-N-Not fair, M-Mi-" He gasped as his alpha squeezed harder while pumping him quickly.

" **Now, now. Don't be too loud! You don't want to wake the baby.** " Mingi purred, twisting so he could start to kiss down the omega's stomach while keeping his arms pinned.

Seonghwa squirmed, starting to feel his climax building as the alpha teased him. He whimpered and squirmed under his touch. " **Alpha... Please Alpha.** "

Mingi's eyes flashed to him with a playful glint.

Just as Seonghwa was about to climax, he squeezed the base of his length.

" **A-ah! No Alpha! Pl-** " Mingi muffled his protests with a kiss.

" **I told you not to be so loud, precious.** " He murmured into the kiss.

"Mingi... That's not fa-" Another kiss interrupted his words again.

Then Mingi moved to drag Seonghwa off the bed, pinning him to the floor. There was a dull thud, but Seonghwa knew it was so they didn't have to deal with the bed hitting the wall... He shivered at the thought. Mingi was right, he loved it when his dominant side came out.

Soon the alpha released his member, making Seonghwa whimper into the kiss as his hand traveled lower to circle his entrance.

Seonghwa rocked his hips, hoping to get some friction against his length too as he tried to speak into the kiss. But Mingi just forced is tongue in, growling as he shoved two fingers into the omega. The older whined and tried pulls his hands away again, but it was to no avail.

Mingi continued to trust his fingers in and out several times, eventually adding a third one. Just as Seonghwa was about to reach his peak again, he pulled out and roughly flipped Seonghwa over. He pinned his arms behind his back and pulled him up so his back was to the younger's chest.

Both were a panting mess as sweat coated their skin. Seonghwa squirmed, trying to pull his hands free while Mingi ran his hand down his stomach and chest.

" **My beautiful omega.** " He purred, kissing and nibbling Seonghwa's mark. There was a possessive tone to his voice that the older wasn't used to, but his wolf loved it.

" **Please Alpha, I can't take anymore. I need Alpha's knot.** "

Mingi growled and slid easily inside of Seonghwa, pounding into him right away.

The moment Seonghwa felt it, he went to cry out and the pure pleasure that ran through him. But he was silenced immediately by Mingi's hand. His head was forced against his alpha's shoulder as Mingi nipped at his jaw, neck, and shoulder.

His whimpering grew louder, even though it was muffled, as the alpha picked up the pace.

It was almost too much for him. He could feel his hair sticking to his forehead as their skin rubbed together easily.

He felt like Mingi was also working to claim him again. Like his alpha instincts were on overload. But why would that be? No one around here would ever ruin the balance of their pack. If anything he could see Jongho doing it with Wooyoung if something snapped, but even then the youngest alpha would never do that because it would hurt the omega too much.

The questions left his head as quickly as they came once Mingi focused on his mark again, sending wave after wave of pleasure through him.

It was enough to tip him over the edge and he sprayed the floor in front of him.

" **Yes. Yes precious. I'm going to fill you. You're my omega. Mine.** "

Mingi continued his tireless assault for a few more minutes, bringing Seonghwa into a second climax when his knot burst and he filled Seonghwa with his warm seed.

They stayed on their knees for a long moment, panting heavily. Then Mingi slowly dropped his hand from Seonghwa's mouth and released his hands.

No words were spoken as Mingi carefully pulled pillows and the comforter off the bed for them to lay on so he didn't have to move them too much. Once they were settled on their sides, he wrapped his arms protectively around Seonghwa and kissed every inch of his skin that he could reach.

"Are you ok?" He whispered.

"Y-Yes. That was... Intense. Are you ok?" Seonghwa tilted his head to glance over his shoulder.

Mingi's eyebrows furrowed. "I am now. I don't know why, but my wolf has been on edge since what happened in the forest. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No. I don't think so. I imagine I'll be sore tomorrow, though." Seonghwa chuckled softly. "My possessive alpha." He hummed.

Mingi let out a small whine and rubbed his nose against the mating mark again, tightening his grip on Seonghwa. "You bet I am. I'm never letting you go. I love you too much."

"And I love you, Mingi. Don't worry, I'm never going anywhere." Seonghwa laced their fingers together and kissed the palm of Mingi's hands several times before holding them over his heart as they both started to drift off.


	10. 9

Day three of San and Hongjoong being gone left a blanket of silence over the house. Even Avayla and Theo could sense something was up.

Avayla was glued to Seonghwa's side, always holding onto his hand or pant leg. If he needed a break or had something to do, she would move the Theo and the two of them would try to play or sit on the couch with the others.

And Theo, when he wasn't with Avayla or his parents, was attached to Wooyoung in one way or another. He really enjoyed sitting on the omega's broad back and laying on his stomach.

It was obvious that he was worried about the omega. He had lost his joyous spark when San hadn't come home on the third day.

Or the fourth.

Yeosang was growing increasingly worried to. He spent a lot of time just walking in circles around the house, wringing his hands, while trying to find something to do to keep himself busy. He knew he needed to keep his stress level down as much as he could.

When he awoke on the fifth day, he groaned as he tried to get out of bed and make his way to the bathroom. A wave of nausea hit him and he sat on the side of the tub.

A soft knock alerted him of someone's presence and he looked up to see Seonghwa peeking around the corner. "How are you feeling?"

"Shitty."

"Can I get you anything?"

"Yeah. My mate." The beta hissed as his stomach lurched. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes too. "What is taking them so long?"

Seonghwa sat on the floor in front of him and sighed. "I don't know, but Mingi is thinking about going to look for them."

Yeosang lifted his head up. He felt bad, but he really liked that idea. Seonghwa looked worried as he stared at the floor and picked at the carpet. "Only if he wants to, and only if you're ok with it." Yeosang said, wincing as he started to feel lightheaded.

The omega stood and went over to him. "Hey, deep breath. Let's get you back into bed. I'm going to send him. We can't have you stressing like this." Seonghwa wrapped and arm around the younger's waist and helped him over to the bed.

"I don't like this feeling..." Yeosang said. He felt clammy and dizzy. He clutched the covers on either side of him.

"Sangie you need to take a deep breath. I'm going to get some water and a wet towel. I'll be right back. Breathe." Seonghwa said before running out of the room.

The younger just nodded once and closed his eyes, focusing on taking slow, deep breaths.

The bed shifted and Yeosang winced. But he recognized the lavender scent that washed over him and opened one of his arms.

Wooyoung crawled forward on the bed and huffed as he laid down next to the beta, resting his head on his paws.

"I'm ok, Youngie. Just some morning sickness, I hope. You better be prepared for this if this cure works for you." Yeosang peeked at him through his lashed and saw the omega scrunch his nose. He chuckled and turned so he could wrap his arm around Wooyoung and buried his face in his fur.

He dozed until Seonghwa came back and sat on his other side, pressing a cold cloth to his neck. "Mingi is getting ready to go. We packed a bag with blankets for him to take just in case."

"I'm sorry, Seonghwa..." Yeosang mumbled into Wooyoung's side.

"No, we need the rest of our family to come home. And we have Jongho and Yunho to help keep watch. I'll probably take a turn at some point too. You just need to focus on resting." The older gave a soft smile.

The three of them stayed together in the bedroom, pretending they didn't hear the back door slam or the black shape running into the woods.

.

.

.

.

Mingi was worried sick, so he had been the one to suggest leaving. He was surprised when Seonghwa said he was ok with it and had packed as many blankets as they could spare.

Now he was running as fast as he could up the side of the mountain. San and Hongjoong's scents were faint.

His heart sank when he saw the layers of fresh snow and the storm clouds hovering over the mountain peaks.

He pushed himself harder, using his long legs to keep him above the packed snow, but he still had to fight his way through the fresh power.

_Hongjoong!_ He called out, hoping his alpha was in range. _Hongjoong, can you hear me?_

There was no answer.

Mingi growled as he surged forward. He was thankful that San had a strong scent, because he was slowly loosing track of Hongjoong's vanilla scent.

As he rounded a corner, Mingi had to slide to a stop as something darted in front of him. He still couldn't smell anything, but it looked a lot like a silver wolf. He stared at where it vanished into the snow.

His heart pounded as he fought the urge to run after it. If it was who he thought it was...

No, he was just imagining things.

He told himself to stay focused and shook his head violently before pushing forward.

Mingi stopped again when he saw wolf tracks in the snow heading in the same direction the flash of silver had gone... His hackles rose as he growled. Every urge in him told him to turn around and run back to his family.

And he almost did, until the wind picked up and rosemary filled his nose.

He snarled and took his anger out on the snow, batting it to the sides viciously with his claws before he ran forward.

The faster he got to Hongjoong and San, the better.

But he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach as he surged forward.

.

.

.

.

San whimpered as he tried to open his eyes and found that he couldn't. The night had been so cold his eyelids were frozen shut. He couldn't feel his toes or his tail, and he barely registered the dying warmth of the body next to him.

He felt Hongjoong shift too and let out a small whine. Then he felt Hongjoong's tongue licking his face, focusing on his eyes.

The warmth of his tongue started to melt the ice and after a few minutes, San could open his eyes again. He blinked several times before returning the favor to his alpha.

They both nuzzled each other for a long moment before breaking apart to move to the cliff side to continue their digging.

Thankfully the cliff had prevented a lot of snow from accumulating, so they only had a thin layer of powder to clear before they could resume digging through the packed snow beneath it.

It was obvious that they were both still exhausted because the work was slow.

But San glanced at the two bags of snowbells that they had gathered the previous two days and it renewed his need to dig faster.

They had managed to find the layer that the rare flower grew early two days ago and started excavating them. It was a slow process, but eventually they worked their way along the side of the cliff to gather as much as they could. They had decided before leaving home that they would gather as much as they could carry and had brought several packs.

As he came upon one of the white flowers, San was careful to dig around it and find the base of the flower and dig out around its roots. He was careful to keep as much of intact as possible before pulling it from the ground and trotting over to the third pack that was halfway full now.

The sun started to peak through the clouds, causing both alphas to stop and stare up at it. Maybe they would finally get a break from the storm. They still tried to work as quickly as possible, taking flower after flower to their packs.

They were able to work much faster today and soon they had all four packs filled with snowbells. Each alpha carried two in their jaws and turned to start the trek down the mountain.

But then Hongjoong froze and his ears flicked forward. He straightened up and his tail started to wag slightly.

San huffed and looked at him, wanting to know what was going on.

He got his answer when Mingi came barreling around the corner. He looked concerned, but then relieved when he saw that they were ok.

Mingi dropped his pack and came over to inspect them, licking both of their faces repeatedly. But once he saw they were ok, he looked at Hongjoong, telling him something.

The head alpha let out a little growl and started to move forward. Something was wrong at home, San could tell that much.

He growled and yapped a couple of times to get Mingi's attention, worried that something had happened to Wooyoung.

The taller turned and nodded quickly, indicating that the omega was ok. San sighed and followed them as they made their way down the mountain side.

This direction was almost more dangerous because they couldn't get a feel for their footing and there were several times when they would slide a few feet in the loose snow.

Especially Mingi. His weight dislodged snow left and right so they had to move frustratingly slow. 

And another storm was blowing in.

.

.

.

.

"I'll take the next watch. I need to get out and stretch my legs." Seonghwa said to Jongho as he went to get off the couch.

"Are you sure? I don't mind going again." The alpha said as he stretched.

"Yeah, I'm ok. I'll just do one loop and come back." He gave the alpha a reassuring smile before stepping onto the deck, stripping quickly, and shifting.

He shook out his fur and stretched. It had been awhile since he had been in his wolf form and it felt really good.

As he trotted down the steps and into the yard, he glanced at the setting sun. He hoped Mingi would find the other two and bring them home. Yeosang needed his alpha right now.

Seonghwa's head swept back and forth as he moved into an easy lope to the edge of their territory. There was no sign of any other wolves in the area. This was to be expected though. They were a large and intimidating pack, any stray wolves knew better than to try and approach them.

It wasn't until he was halfway around the house that he sensed something was off. He had the odd feeling that he was being watched.

He paused and looked around, trying to get a sense of his surroundings.

A twig snapped and he jerked his head to the side, scenting the air.

He couldn't smell anything.

_Jongho... Something's wrong._

He didn't get an answer.

_Jongho?_

He knew he wasn't out of range... Why wasn't he responding?

Seonghwa exhaled sharply and continued to stare at where he heard the twig snap.

Then one more snapped to his left and he turned to look there. Why couldn't he smell anything?

_Jongho!_

He started to back toward the house.

_Yunho? Yeosang? Can anyone hear me?_

Another twig snapped to his right.

Seonghwa whined and spun around to head back to the house.

He saw a flash of silver and something latched onto his throat, sinking its teeth in. He tried to howl, hoping that would alert the others, but whoever had a hold of him forced him to the ground.

Panicking, Seonghwa brought his back legs forward and kicked at his attacker. They pushed against something soft and his throat was released.

Moving quickly, he got on his feet and spun around to defend himself, hackles standing on end as he snarled.

There was nothing there.

_Jongho, please tell me you can hear me... There's something out here._

That thought was confirmed when a gut-wrenching snarl came from behind him. It was so dominant and powerful, Seonghwa lost all will to fight it as he submitted immediately. He felt his body shrinking and painfully shifting back into his human form.

The snarl continued after the shift was complete and he whimpered against the forest floor.

_J-J-Jongho... M-Mingi..._

A blindfold was wrapped over his eyes, preventing him from seeing his attacker, before his arms were yanked behind his back and bound tightly.

A collar locked in place around his neck.

Then a cloth was placed in his mouth to gag him. It was coated in a sleeping drug. Seonghwa lost the battle to stay conscious as he was lifted from the ground.


	11. 10

Mingi growled as he pushed through the storm. He and Hongjoong had decided to push through the storm, wanting to get home as soon as possible and San had eagerly followed.

The wind blew snow and ice into their sides, chilling them to the bone.

There were a couple of times he thought he saw the flashes of silver again and it made him stray from the path as he tried to follow it.

_Mingi! Mingi I think we need to stop!_ Hongjoong called out.

_No. We have to get home. I worried something is going to happen._

_What are you talking about_? The smaller leapt forward to stand at his side. San joined them, shivering violently.

_I've... I've seen things that make me nervous. I'm worried that_... Mingi paused as a large gust of wind pummeled them.

San whimpered and leaned into Hongjoong.

_We can't stop. We've been up here for too long._ Hongjoong said, pushing forward.

Mingi just nodded and placed himself in between the other two and the wind, hoping to shield them since he was stronger right now.

_What are you afraid of?_ Hongjoong asked after a few minutes.

_I... I'm just being paranoid._ Mingi said when he saw the weary look on Hongjoong's face. He didn't feel like he should burden his alpha with his paranoid thoughts of ghost wolves. _Let's just focus on getting home._

The three of them continued to help each other down the mountain. They used the downhill slope to their advantage a few times, letting the loose snow carry them down, or they would lay down and just slide for a little bit as long as it felt safe.

One time Hongjoong had to grab the pack in Mingi's mouth to keep him from sliding over the side of a drop off. Both he and San worked to pull him back onto the path where the waited for him to collect himself before he slid further down the path.

As the sun started to set and they neared the base of the mountain, the storm finally let up.

San wobbled as he stumbled forward. He only made it a few steps on flat ground before he collapsed. Hongjoong didn't make it much further.

_Jongho! Seonghwa! Yunho! I need some help!_

_We're coming._ Jongho answered quickly.

Mingi felt them shift as he nuzzled both alphas to make sure they were ok. Their eyelids fluttered, showing signs of life.

Minutes later, Jongho and Yunho slid to a stop next to them. Both whined as they checked on San. He licked Jongho's muzzle once before his head fell to the ground.

_Where's Seonghwa?_ Mingi asked, looking around.

_He went for a perimeter run. I expect he's on his way._ Yunho looked around as well, sensing Mingi's unease.

_Seonghwa, are you close?_

He was met with silence. Mingi felt a chill run down his spine.

**_Seonghwa. Answer me_**.

Still nothing.

_Yunho_. Mingi turned to him, but the beta was already running along the perimeter. He then turned to Jongho and they both shifted. They slung all the packs over their shoulders after dressing and bent down to pick up the alphas, hurrying back to the house.

"Where is Avayla?" He grunted, panic seeping into his voice.

"Sleeping. Seonghwa put her down about an hour ago."

Mingi's heart was racing. Where was his mate?

Yeosang and Wooyoung were waiting in the living room. The beta took the packs and hurried to get the snowbells in the large freezer they had set up in the storage room while Jongho started pulling out blankets to wrap around the wolves.

Wooyoung whined loudly as he laid down next to San, licking his face and muzzle.

"They will be ok, Wooyoung." Mingi said. "They are just exhausted."

_Mingi_... Yunho called out.

The alpha shifted as soon as he stepped outside, running to the spot where he sensed Yunho waiting for him. **_What is it?_**

_I see signs of a struggle. And I can smell Seonghwa._ Yunho lowered his head and stepped aside as Mingi investigated the area.

His blood boiled when he too smelled Seonghwa's strong lemon scent, indicating that he was in distress. He started snarling as he shuffled around, scenting everywhere trying to find signs of the attacker. **_What happened?!_**

_I don't know, but I can't find a trail either._

**_WHAT?_** Mingi spun around and snapped his jaw in the beta's direction. Yunho flinched away from him and stumbled back.

_Mingi, we will find him..._

**_THEN GET YOUR ASS MOVING AND HELP ME FIND MY MATE!_ **

Mingi didn't even react when Yunho's legs collapsed under him and he fell to the forest floor, whimpering. _M-Mingi..._

**_WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY MATE? HOW CAN HIS SCENT JUST DISAPPEAR?_** The alpha marched forward, advancing on Yunho. **_HOW COULD YOU LET HIM GO ON A ROUND?_**

_H-He w-wanted to stret-tch his l-l-legs_... Yunho forced out, now laying on his side and exposing his throat.

Mingi was just about to respond when something slammed into his side. He roared as he rolled to the side and sprang up to see Jongho standing in between him and Yunho. His eyes were blood red and foam was forming at the corner of his mouth. **_Stand. Down._**

**_Don't you DARE speak to me that way!_** Mingi snapped his jaw as he ran forward.

He never reached his target.

Another body slammed into him and sent him rolling across the forest floor.

This time it was Wooyoung, whose gold eyes flashed as he too planted himself between Yunho and Mingi. He was a little spitfire that was for sure.

Once that thought crossed his mind, Mingi froze and realized what he had done. He immediately shifted and got down on his hands and knees. "Fuck. Yunho I'm so sorry..." He said, tears already rolling down his cheeks.

Jongho just snarled in response and pawed at the ground.

Mingi lifted his head up and glanced at the trio in front of him. But then his eyes drifted to the tree just to the right of where Yunho was slowly pushing himself off the ground. "No..." He gasped. "No, please no."

Jongho shifted and was still crouching in front of Yunho, but he spoke slowly. "What's going on Mingi?"

The alpha crawled forward, his hands shaking as he reached for the tree.

Carved into its truck was a large 'L'.

.

.

.

.

Everything was fuzzy as Seonghwa opened his eyes. He blinked several times, trying to focus on his surroundings.

The first thing he noticed was that he was tied to a chair, his arms wrapped behind it and bound tight. His legs were tied to the chair as well, and he was gagged.

He tried testing his bonds, but he could barely shift his wrists, and when he tried to push the gag out with his tongue it wouldn't budge.

Where was he? How did he get here?

He tried reaching out for the pack link, but it wasn't there.

Then he remembered the collar.

Seonghwa let out a muffled groan as he started to struggle more. Who had taken him? He thought only Primera had access to these collars. Did someone from Primera survive?

He could feel the skin on his wrists start to split as the ropes rubbed him raw. It hurt, but he needed to get out of here.

His mind went to Avayla and the rest of his pack. Were they ok? He started to scream into his gag at the thought of someone harming his baby.

Please. She had to be ok.

He had to get out of here.

.

.

.

.

Wooyoung shoved his nose into San's cheek, trying to get him to wake up. There was much that needed to be done and he needed to be filled in on what was going on.

Plus he had missed him.

Yeosang was trying to do the same with Hongjoong.

Both alphas groaned and started to move a little. Hongjoong slowly started to shift back into his human form the more he awoke.

San blinked several times before lifting his head up and licking Wooyoung's nose.

_Sannie! You're ok!_ Wooyoung whined, moving to rub his entire body against his alpha. He couldn't control the multiple whimpers that escaped him. _I was so worried about you. You're never allowed to do that again. I'm not worth it. You could have died and I wouldn't have known. Well, I would because part of me would have died too, but still, you're ne-_

_Youngie, baby, breathe._ San said with a slight chuckle as he lifted a paw and placed it on top of Wooyoung's head, forcing it to the ground.

_Sorry_. Wooyoung said, looking down. _San... Seonghwa is missing._

_What?!_

_I don't know what happened. He went out on patrol and never came back. Mingi is outside ripping apart trees trying to calm his rage... He tried to attack Yunho..._

San snarled a little, glancing around for the beta.

_He's ok. He's in with Theo and Avayla. Maria is on her way here to prepare the spell for us and help watch the kids. I think Mingi, Jongho, and Yunho are going to go look for him._ Wooyoung glanced over at where Yeosang was filling Hongjoong in. _Hongjoong isn't going to let Yeosang go anywhere, and I'm sure Yeosang will fight for him to stay... I don't know what's going to happen..._

_We will figure it out. For now let's wait for Maria._ San's ears fell back as he stared at the back door.

Wooyoung nodded and nestled into him, humming at the contact with his alpha.

When Maria finally arrived, everyone gathered in the living room and told her what had happened. She looked extremely worried, but agreed to stay and help after giving Kenneth a call. He was going to bring some bags over later.

"Now how do we want to work the spell?" She asked, wringing her hands.

"Well, I figure the three of us can go search for Seonghwa, or see if we can find any clues. If it's just him then we should be able to take him down easily and free Seonghwa." Jongho said, glancing at Mingi. "And Wooyoung and San can work on transforming and breaking the spell and come back here to check in. Then they can form the pack bond with Hongjoong again."

"Ok, I'll get started on the mixture. Someone pack them a bag and some supplies. I'm not sure how long the actual transformation will take."

Everyone hesitated, so many unsaid things were hanging in the air.

Hongjoong eventually sighed and turned to the wolf couple. "Now you two listen to me. Don't worry about us, ok? We can handle things here. You need to do whatever Maria tells you and focus on breaking the spell on you. And," He smirked a little, "I'm sure there are... Other things... That you'll be wanting to do. Take care of yourselves. If anything bad happens, we will come to you. But we all need to try and stay calm," He turned to the whole room. "That's the only way we will find Seonghwa. Jongho's right. It'll be three against one, so I'm sure everything will be fine. And they've got to be nearby. He can't have gotten far."

Everyone nodded, confirming their alpha's command.

.

.

.

.

The door opened and Seonghwa stopped struggling. He was facing away from it, so he had no idea who had walked in.

"He's been struggling I see." A higher pitched male said. "I guess that's to be expected."

Someone else hummed.

The hairs on the back of Seonghwa's neck stood on end.

"Are you sure you want to be alone with him?" The man asked, then whimpered. Seonghwa assumed he had received a harsh look from whoever was with him.

The omega made sure to sit up straight and jut his chin out a little to show he wasn't to be messed with.

But that crumbled as soon as the alpha male stepped in front of him with a wide, twisted grin and messy silver hair.

Seonghwa's heart stopped and fear immediately took over.

Now he understood the flash of silver Mingi had seen.

"Hello, Seonghwa. Long time, no see. You're looking well." The alpha reached out and caressed Seonghwa's chin before grabbing it harshly. "I've been dying for this moment for over six years. Now it is my time to shine. And I get to do it by taking away the one thing my enemy loves the most. I'm going to make you mine."

Seonghwa whimpered as he was forced to stare into the stone cold eyes of someone who he never thought he would see again.

Lance.


	12. 11

"I love how surprised and scared you look right now." Lance sneered, letting go of Seonghwa's jaw. He pulled up another chair and sat backward on it so he could rest his arms on the back of the chair. "I'm sure you never expected to see me again."

Seonghwa was too stunned to even make a sound, but he could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

"No one even thought to look for me, did they?" Lance's lip curled. "Just the way I wanted it. I must say, I'm impressed that you were able to defeat Alistar. Wasn't it the little fuck toy who did it too? I heard he got handed to the Choi brothers. It's amazing he managed to survive that."

Now Seonghwa started to snarl into his gag. He was so tired of others talking about Wooyoung that way.

"There's that spirit that I love. You know, if you hadn't caught me by surprise, you would have had my pups by now." Lance licked his lips. "I won't be making that mistake again. Trust me."

The omega pulled against his bonds again, wincing as he felt the blood start to flow once more. There was no way he was going to willingly let this bastard touch him. If only his wolf wasn't restricted... Then a thought flashed through his mind. San had been able to break the collar, maybe he could to.

"So much fire." Lance smirked. "And there will be no breaking this collar." He said, as if he knew what Seonghwa was thinking. "Percival and I have been perfecting it after what your pathetic runt was able to do."

So Primera was here. Seonghwa had been right about that at least. And that answered the question as to why he hadn't been able to mind link too. They must have enhanced the smell to cover scent too...

The alpha spun his chair around and moved closer to Seonghwa, reaching out to caress his inner thigh. The omega let out a small whimper as he tried to pull away, but his bonds were too tight.

"That's right. This will all be mine soon. Mingi took everything away from me. I was by Alistar's side for everything, and yet he chose his worthless son over me! But now that he is dead, it's my time to rule. I am going to break Mingi's spirit before I break every bone in his body." Lance's eyes flashed red as he glared at the omega. " **I will make him pay. And you will be mine.** "

Seonghwa hated himself as he tilted his head to the side, baring his neck to the angry alpha. He chuckled in response and grabbed it hard, running his thumb over his throat.

" **I will make sure he sees you birth my pups so he knows what I claimed you. Then I will kill his in front of him and the rest of his pack before I kill him.** "

At that Seonghwa started to struggle again. There was no way he was going to let Lance touch Avayla. He would die first.

Lance grabbed his jaw again and squeezed so hard that Seonghwa feared it would break. " **If you're good, maybe I'll let you live once our pups are born. But don't worry, you will still have a long life. I want several pups, every nine months. I hope you are ready to be pregnant for the next several years, because as soon one is born I will force another one into you. I OWN YOU.** "

Then he slapped the omega's cheek, forcing his head to snap to the side. While Seonghwa recovered, he moved out of his vision and started rummaging through something. When he came back he pulled the gag out of his mouth just enough to shove a pill down Seonghwa's throat. He shoved the gag back in and plugged his nose to force him to swallow.

" **Good boy. That will force your heat to start. Soon you will be begging for my knot.** " Lance sneered before leaving the room.

Seonghwa whimpered into his gag and pulled against the ropes, begging to be released. He had to warn Mingi. He had to get back to Avayla. The fear of never being able to see his daughter again started to take hold of him as he pulled harder.

He didn't even get to say goodbye...

And now she wouldn't understand what had happened to him...

Tears ran down his cheeks and collected in the gag as he started to tremble in his seat.

Maybe he could just bleed to death from his slit wrists and then he wouldn't have to give Lance what he wanted...

Yes... Right now that's what Seonghwa hoped for as he pulled at his bonds, trying to open his wounds up even more...

.

.

.

.

Mingi had to work hard to contain himself as he knelt down to give Avayla a hug. She was quiet. She knew there was something wrong. "Maria is going to take good care of you, baby. And you'll have Uncle Sangie and Uncle Joong here too."

"Papa, where's Mama?" She sniffed, rubbing her red nose.

"Mama had something urgent come up and had to leave."

"But why would Mama leave without saying goodbye?" Her voice got softer as she stared at the floor. "Did I do something wrong?"

Mingi's heart split in half as he brought her into his arms again. "No my girl, please don't think that. It was... Unavoidable and he had to leave. I didn't even get to say goodbye to him." Damn it was so hard not to cry right now, but he had to stay strong for her.

"You're going to bring Mama home?" Avayla asked, hiccuping a little through her tears.

"Yes, I'm going to bring Mama home." He moved to kiss her forehead. "You're going to be good for everyone, right?"

Avayla just hummed and nodded her head.

"And you need to take care of Theo too. He's going to need you because he won't understand what's going on as well as you do." Mingi cupped her face in his hands. "Can you be Papa's big girl and help take care of Theo?"

She puffed out her chest a little bit and nodded quickly. "I will always protect Theo."

"That's my girl." Mingi rubbed their noses together, bringing a magical giggle from his daughter that healed his heart a little.

.

.

.

.

Jongho and Yunho brought Theo into his room and sat down on the floor with him. He stared at them with wide eyes, focusing more on Yunho, as he tried to figure out what was going on.

The beta sighed and chewed on his lip. Jongho could feel the stress rolling off him as he tried to figure out what to say.

"Baby, Mommy and Daddy need to go away for a while." Yunho said slowly. Theo tilted his head. "We are going to be gone."

"You will be staying with Maria." Jongho said, working hard to keep his voice from quivering, even though Theo wouldn't hear it.

At the sound of her name, Maria appeared in the doorway. She had a sad look on her face as she watched the scene unfold. "I don't know if he will fully understand dears. I would just say your goodbyes and I will take care of him once it get the spell set up for San and Wooyoung."

Yunho let out a little whimper and pulled Theo into a tight hug. The boy wrapped his tiny arms around the beta's neck and kissed his cheek, multiple times, causing Yunho to work even harder to fight his tears.

Then Jongho took his turn, pulling Theo into his arms and hugging him tight. He got the same treatment, several kisses on the cheek. It broke Jongho's heart, knowing that Theo didn't understand that they were saying goodbye...

But they needed it for their own sanity, so they continued with the motions. Yunho closed in and brought them into his long arms as the three of them shared a group hug. Jongho worked to memorize the feeling of Theo's hand on his face.

He decided this was the worst part about being a parent...

A few minutes later, they brought Theo out into the living room where San and Wooyoung were waiting to say their goodbye. They would be seeing the kids sooner than those looking for Seonghwa, most likely, but they still could be gone for several days.

Avayla was in the process of hugging San while Mingi was shaking hands with Hongjoong.

Jongho watched as Theo tottered over to Wooyoung and hugged him immediately, patting his fur.

It did warm his heart slightly that hopefully the next time they met, it would be as humans and Theo could finally see what the pair looked like.

Yeosang and Hongjoong made his way over to the couple to give them a hug and wish them luck.

Finally, Wooyoung trotted over and shoved his head into Yunho's stomach. Then beta crouched down and pulled him into a hug, burying his face in the wolf's neck. "I look forward to hearing your sweet voice again my friend."

Wooyoung whimpered and wrapped a paw around Yunho's waist.

Jongho knelt down too and received a lick in the face, causing him to smile slightly. "You be safe too." He whispered, kissing the top of Wooyoung's head. "And you too, San. Take care of him, and yourself."

San nodded and rubbed himself against Jongho's side, and then Yunho's.

It was going to be so nice to be able to talk with them again.

"Are you ready?" Mingi asked, his voice weak as he hugged Avayla one more time.

"Yes." Jongho and Yunho said at the same time.

"Stay safe." Yeosang whispered, placing a hand on his stomach as Hongjoong took his other hand. "We will take care of the kids, I promise."

The three parents nodded before stepping onto the back porch. They looked at each other. "We stay together, at all costs." Mingi said, taking their hands in his.

"We'll find him Mingi." Yunho whispered, receiving a grateful smile from the alpha.

They quickly stripped and shifted, forcing themselves not to look back as they ran into the trees.

.

.

.

.

"Alright, I guess it's our turn." Maria said, holding up her bag. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Get them taken care of, that's more important." Yeosang moved to give her a hug. "We will be ok."

"I know you will." Maria gave him a bright smile and lightly patted his cheek. "Hongjoong, you work to keep him calm, you hear?" She leaned to the side to make eye contact with the alpha, who froze like he had been caught doing something he shouldn't.

Wooyoung walked up to lean into Yeosang's leg, letting out a small whine. "I'll be ok, Youngie. You and San need to get better too."

The omega huffed. Then both wolves received hugs from Hongjoong and Yeosang, and a final one from the kids, before they followed Maria to her car.

She was going to drive them to the ravine and the cave they had decided to perform the spell at. Once she was comfortable, she would come back and live there for as long as it would take for everyone to come home.

A small backup plan was that if the others hadn't returned with Seonghwa by the time San and Wooyoung returned, then they would go out to assist and figure out what was going on.

They all prayed that it never go to that point...

Yeosang sighed as he moved to the couch. He settled in to the corner and smiled as Avayla and Theo came to sit with him as the gravity of the situation fell like a blanket over the house.


	13. 12

San and Wooyoung had to work to keep their anxiety in check as they sat in the back of Maria's car.

This was it. This was the test to see if they could get out of these wolf forms. All of their faith was being placed in Maria and her knowledge of the spell books.

She seemed confident though, so that made them feel a little better.

Wooyoung leaned into San, rubbing his face against his chest. _I can't wait to feel your arms around me again. It's been so long..._

_Over a year. I don't know if I even really remember the last time we were able to shift after grabbing the books._

_Me neither.._. Wooyoung whined a little. His alpha turned to lick the top of his head.

_Just know... If for some reason this doesn't work, it won't matter to me. We will figure things out._

_But I don't want to be a pet dog_. Wooyoung huffed and looked away, his bottom lip sticking out a little.

San chuckled and brought up a paw to push the side of Wooyoung's face, making him growl a little. _You're such a baby._

_Am not._

_Are to._

_Am not!_ Wooyoung whined and curled up in the corner, his back facing San.

The alpha just chuckled again, loving his adorable omega more and more by the second. He too couldn't wait to feel him in his arms again.

The drive lasted a little over an hour, and eventually Wooyoung stopped pouting and had started to cuddle into San again. They both needed to feel that connection.

Once they reached the ravine, San and Wooyoung walked next to Maria, carrying packs with blankets and clothes and food. She had even brought some of Kenneth's furs for them. They took everything into the cave and went to stand outside the entrance.

"Ok dears, once I get this spell placed, things will get started. You'll cross over the line and that will activate everything. Now, it might take some time for it to kick in, especially since you've been tapped in this form for so long. It will also take some time for it to fully heal you too. You need to wait in here until all urges to shift are gone, no matter how long it takes, otherwise everything will be destroyed and you'll be stuck in these bodies again."

Both wolves nodded to her, showing their understanding.

"Ok." She said, turning to the entrance. Maria started to chant as she poured a fine powder in a line stretching the entire length of the cave opening. She repeated this several times, building up layer after layer of the powder. "Alright, that should do it." Maria paused and looked at them, tears in her eyes. "Good luck, and remember, all urges must be gone."

The two wolves moved to her and nuzzled her sides before facing the cave entrance.

Then they stepped over the threshold at the same time.

It was obvious that a spell was over the entrance because they both gasped as a wave of energy slammed into them. They both staggered and had to find their balance before turning back to look at Maria.

She smiled and nodded to them before returning to her car.

San sighed and nudged Wooyoung's shoulder. They walked slowly to the makeshift bed they had made out of the furs Kenneth had given them. It was soft and comfortable as they curled up together and settled down to wait.

\---

Wooyoung groaned and rolled his neck as he stretched his limbs. It felt good to arch his back and wiggle his toes and...

His eyes flew open and he stared at his hands as he sat up quickly. He opened and closed them multiple times, loving the feeling. Then he ran his hands through his hair and over his face.

A light chuckle came from his left and Wooyoung turned to see San's bright, dimpled smile.

"Sannie!" He cried out, flinging his arms around his mate.

San held him close and they both ran their hands over each other's backs. It was so hard to believe that they were actually able to touch each other again.

He moved to kiss and nuzzled Wooyoung's mark, making him gasp and tilt his head to the side. "I know we've been together this entire time, but I missed you so damn much Wooyoung." He breathed, pulling his omega into his lap.

"I missed you too." Wooyoung said, taking his turn to kiss the mark on San's neck. His skin felt so good under his hands as he splayed them across his alpha's back. "San..." He whispered, pressing his lips to the older's skin again. San was so sweet. Maybe it was the euphoria of being a human again, but he found himself giving San opened mouth kisses so he could run his tongue over his skin too.

San let out a slight moan as he started to play with the hair at the base of Wooyoung's neck. The omega was driving him crazy with his kisses. His skin was on fire and all he wanted was more. He wanted to feel everything. Trace every line, every curve.

They could both feel their wolves begging to be let loose, and they struggled to stay in control.

Growling, San shifted so he could lay Wooyoung down on the furs. As he moved to lay next to him, he suddenly let out a groan and clutched his stomach.

"San? Wha-" Wooyoung started to asked, but he also groaned and rolled onto his side.

Their wolves were fighting to take control. Maria had said this wasn't going to be easy...

After a few minutes of fighting, eventually the succumb to the forced shift and nestled into the furs together, awaiting the next moment they could changes forms again.

At least they knew that the spell worked.

\---

Several hours later, they again awoke as humans.

San instantly pulled Wooyoung into him and connected their lips. They both moaned at the contact. San kept the motion slow and hesitant as they both got used to their bodies again. Plus he wanted to savor every single second of this.

Wooyoung didn't complain either as he brought a hand up to cup San's cheek, letting his thumb drift back and forth. His alpha's lips were so soft and the melded perfectly to his. He could feel his wolf churning at the contact but he forced it down. "San..." He whispered into the kiss.

The alpha shivered, loving the way his name sounded when his mate said it. He pulled away and connected their foreheads, placing his hand on the back of the omega's head.

They closed their eyes and laid there for several long minutes before San pulled his hand away and started to kiss his mate again. This time it was a little needier. He ran his tongue along the younger's lower lip and was granted access immediately. God Wooyoung tasted so good...

San explored the omega's mouth, wanting to feel every inch of it. He loved the feeling of Wooyoung's tongue playing with his as he tried to pretend to fight for dominance. San pinched his side and smiled into the kiss as the omega yelped and pulled his head back.

That gave San an idea to do something he craved almost more than getting to claim his mate again.

Almost.

But still he followed through by turning and tickling Wooyoung's side.

He was rewarded with one of his favorite sounds.

Wooyoung's laugh.

It brought tears to his eyes as he continued his attack, making the omega's laugh get louder and higher in pitched as he tried to push him off.

Wooyoung couldn't help himself as he squirmed beneath his alpha. "S-S-San!" He tried out, trying to push his hands away. "A-Ah!"

He stopped fighting when he caught San looking at him with a wide smile that crinkled his eyes and forced his dimples out. He too had started laughing his high-pitched laugh. Wooyoung was starting to think he'd never get to hear it again.

Once San realized Wooyoung had lost the battle, he tickled him harder and for only a few more minutes before pulling him into his arms again.

They rolled together on the furs, connecting their lips again, both moaning at the feeling of their bodies being connected.

Until they were forced to transform again.

San growled with frustration and had to work to push his anger away. Wooyoung helped by licking the side of his face and nuzzling into his neck.

He was right. They were still together. And that time they had been humans longer than the first time.

Once again they curled up together and waited.

\---

They were still awake when the shift happened again. But this time came with one minor complication.

Wooyoung groaned and held onto his stomach. His lavender scent rolled off him and filled San's nose, making his eyes roll to the back of his head the pleasure.

This was an unexpected but pleasant surprise...

San felt his wolf surge forward as he descended on his omega.

The time stuck as a wolf had forced Wooyoung's heat forward.

It made sense. He hadn't been able to keep up with his suppressants while in wolf form and his cycle worked different in his human form.

Slick was already pouring from him as San pushed him onto his back and pinned him to the furs, claiming his mouth greedily. Wooyoung moaned and arched his back, making their members rub together and sending chills through both of them.

Their lips stayed locked together as Wooyoung got a burst of strength and rolled them over so he was on top. Their legs were tangled together as San pinned his hands to the ground and Wooyoung was forced to hug him. Not that he was complaining.

He plunged his tongue into San's mouth, taking his turn to taste and feel everything. He loved the way San's hands felt as they ran over his back, tracing his shoulders and spine.

Wooyoung shuddered when he felt San start rocking his hips, and he returned the motion. They both started craving that friction that they hadn't felt in so long...

" **My omega. My love. You feel so good.** " San growled, moving to kiss along Wooyoung's jaw. He used one of his hands to tilt the younger's head back, sucking on the soft skin under his chin where it met his neck.

Wooyoung gasped in response and tried to pull his hands free, but San refused to budge. He let out a low chuckled as he kept kissing down Wooyoung's neck.

" **Alpha... Please...** " The omega whined, again trying to free his hands.

" **Let me worship you.** " San purred, nuzzling against the mating mark he was looking forward to reopening.

Wooyoung gulped and shivered, staring down to see San's soft red eyes staring up at him.

Finally, San rolled them over again, once again placing himself on top. His wolf wanted him to just ravish the omega, but that would come later. For now, he wanted to enjoy every inch of him. He had over a year of not being able to touch him to make up for.

He started by placing kisses on his forehead, taking his time with each one of them, before moving down to the sides of his eyes, his cheeks, his nose, ears, chin, and finally lips.

Each kiss set Wooyoung on fire. He could feel the love that poured from his alpha with each contact. It made his heart pound harder and harder.

As San broke their kiss, he brought his hands up to lace their fingers together as he continued his trail down the omega's neck.

"San..." Wooyoung moaned, his eyelids fluttering once his alpha kissed his mark again. His body was on fire as the sensation flowed through every single vein and nerve.

The alpha hummed into his kisses as he peppered the younger's shoulders, now adding the occasional nip in to increase the sensation.

He got lower with each pass and when he finally reached Wooyoung's left nipple, he dragged his tongue over it once before sucking on it lazily.

Wooyoung gasped and arched his back. While he loved every second of this, his heat was starting to take over again and the neediness was coming out. "Please San... I-I can't..."

"Can't what?" The alpha teased, moving over to his other nipple.

"Sannie... **Please... I need Alpha.** "

Lifting his head up, San gave him an understanding smile. Maybe after his heat was cleared he could continue this.

" **It hurts...** " Wooyoung groaned, trying to curl up in a ball. This was so much stronger than a normal heat.

" **Alpha is here baby boy.** " San growled, sitting back and wrapping his hand around Wooyoung's length.

The omega practically screamed at the contact as his body jolted. He couldn't even begin to describe how amazing it felt to have his alpha touch him again. It made him squirm and whine, needing more. " **Alpha, take me. I need it. I need your knot.** "

" **So needy for Alpha.** " San leaned forward to nibble on Wooyoung's ear while increasing his strokes.

Then he moved his hand down to circle a finger around the omega's entrance, letting out a groan when he felt the natural slick there. He was able to easily slip his finger inside and add a second shortly after.

Wooyoung arched off the furs again, crying out at being slowly filled. He whined as San increased the pace and added a third finger. It helped ease the burning inside him. But he still needed more.

Sensing this, San leaned over and licked Wooyoung's length from the base to the tip.

" **A-Ah!** " Wooyoung cried, his eyes flashing bright gold. The high-pitched sound echoed off the cave walls, sending delicious shivers through San, making him go one step further and taking the omega's entire length into his mouth.

Wooyoung bit his lip, feeling like he was already soaring. He reached for San and was happy to feel the fingers of his free hand lace with his own.

Just as he was feeling close to his peak, San stopped everything and roughly flipped him over, making Wooyoung squeak in surprise.

The alpha leaned forward and dragged his tongue across the omega's entrance, licking him several times before he lined his own aching member up with the omega. " **Are you ready for Alpha?** " He asked, running one finger down Wooyoung's spine.

The younger spasmed uncontrollably at the feeling and just nodded, unable to form any words.

San licked his lips as he started to push himself inside. They both groaned at the sensation and Wooyoung started to push himself back to speed up the process.

He loved the way he felt when he was filled by his alpha, just like San loved the way his omega clenched around him.

An itch started to form in the back of San's mind, almost like a warning. He had a feeling they didn't have much time left, so he started to ram himself into the younger, making him cry out each time their skin slapped together.

San could already feel himself starting to build. It didn't surprise him, seeing as it had been so long, and he was almost grateful for it given the circumstance.

He gripped Wooyoung's hips harder and lifted one leg up so he could drive down into the whimpering omega. He thought he heard mumbled 'yes' and 'knot' and 'alpha' but it was obvious that Wooyoung was deep into his bliss.

After only a few more thrusts, San's knot burst suddenly, sending them both over the edge.

Wooyoung's skin started to cool instantly as he panted into the fur beneath him.

They took a moment to catch their breath before San adjusted them so they could lay down. He wrapped his arms around Wooyoung, pulling him close and intertwined their legs.

This was the moment Wooyoung loved, getting to lay there with his alpha, connected in every way. It was absolute perfection.

That went away as soon as San's knot went down and he pulled out.

They both whimpered as another shift was forced upon them.

\---

When they were human again, they were both still exhausted, so they dug in their packs for some food and just nestled down together.

San pulled Wooyoung into his chest and held him close. He loved it when he felt tiny kisses whenever Wooyoung moved.

Neither one knew how much time had passed since they had been in the cave. They were far enough back that no sunlight reached them. They guessed at least a day, if not longer.

As sleep overtook them once more, San pulled a few blankets on top of them to protect them from the cold as he wrapped his arms and legs around his mate, and smiled when Wooyoung returned the gesture.

\---

They awoke to another forced shift.

Wooyoung just rolled his eyes but felt a sudden burst of energy, so he pounced on San and sent them both rolling to the side.

His alpha smirked at him and ran to him, nipping playfully at his side. Then he pushed his head into the omega and forced him to the ground, pinning him and biting his ear gently.

The younger squirmed, trying to throw San off him, but it was no use.

San just laughed at him and placed a paw on his muzzle, then slowly started licking his face and neck.

Wooyoung closed his eyes and hummed.

Their tails brushed against each other slowly as San continued to shower his mate with all the love he possessed. Part of him felt the need to do it, knowing he might not get this chance depending on what happened with the cure...

And if Wooyoung sensed that fear in him, he was kind enough not to acknowledge it.

\---

For some reason, they were stuck in wolf form a little longer that time, but when they were able to shift again, Wooyoung was the first to initiate contact.

He moved so he was straddling San, wrapping his legs around his waist as they sat there.

Their lips connected again, both breathing heavily through their noses as the urge to stay connected washed over them.

San ran his hands down Wooyoung's back and cupped his ass, kneading it slowly, as Wooyoung tangled his delicate fingers in San's hair.

The omega began rocking his hips a little, the skin contact already turning him on. His one release several hours ago hadn't been enough for this body.

San chuckled when he realized what was going on and slipped a single finger inside his mate while bringing his other hand around to stroke Wooyoung's length. He was rewarded with a moan and a lip bite, which was one of the sexiest things Wooyoung could do.

"Sannie..." The younger breathed, tilting his head back.

The nice thing about the Soulmate bond was that neither one of them needed to really speak to express their feelings. It just flowed through them.

And as San leaned forward to kiss Wooyoung's neck, he could feel every ounce of love pouring out of the younger. It brought the brightest smile to each of their faces.

Wooyoung brought one hand down to start stroking San's length, wanting to return the favor.

They both let out small whimpers as they moved at the same speed, starting slow and soft but eventually getting faster.

San brought his mate into a kiss, letting their tongues dance as they worked each other up into a powerful orgasm, covering their hands and chests with white strings.

And still they didn't disconnect. They stroked each other to prolong their climax for a moment or so before San rolled to the side and on top of Wooyoung.

He started to grind their hips together, reawakening their softening lengths as he trailed open mouthed kisses down the younger's chest.

Wooyoung started to rock his hips too. He moaned as he ran his hands down San's back, leaving thin red scratches along his skin. He loved the way it felt when their skin rubbed together like this.

When San couldn't go any lower without pulling their hips apart, he brought his mouth back up to claim the younger's once more. He would never get tired of the softness of Wooyoung's lips against his.

As the kiss continued, they were suddenly thrust into near darkness. Their fire had burned out.

Wooyoung turned to go stoke it, but San stopped him, pulled his back into his chest. "Leave it." He whispered, smiling when he felt Wooyoung shiver.

The younger bit his lip as he felt San's fingers dance over his skin. Everything was heightened now that he couldn't see as well. He let out a little moan when San kissed his mark as his fingertips ghosted over his skin.

After a few minutes of teasing, San pulled Wooyoung back into him and rocked his hips, rubbing his length between the omega's cheeks.

They both groaned again and the younger let his head fall back onto San's shoulder.

San's fingers danced over his skin, getting lower and lower, until they brushed against his length. And that's all he did, was graze the tips of his fingers over it repeatedly.

The sensation was driving Wooyoung insane. It was almost like San was trying to tickle him with how light he was touching him. He squirmed a little, and San rewarded him with another hip rocking motion, which in turn forced his length to run along the side of San's hand.

He whimpered and started to grind against San, making him growl.

They continued like this, getting harder and harder, before San couldn't wait anymore. He flipped Wooyoung over and guided him onto his back before sticking three fingers in his mouth. The omega sucked on them greedily, swirling his tongue in circles.

San then brought them to his entrance and guided one in, pumping it in and out slowly while twisting it back and forth.

Soon he added a second, making a scissoring motion before slipping in his third.

Wooyoung moaned San's name repeatedly, wanting more and wishing he could see him, but at the same time this was so exciting. He reached blindly for his mate and whimpered as San withdrew his fingers, leaving him completely alone and empty.

For too long.

"San? Where did you go?" He asked, tilting his head every which way to attempt to see him. "San?"

He flinched when the fire roared to life. The sudden light blinded him and he had to cover his eyes.

But he smiled when he felt San's cold hands on his hips and the leaking tip of his length at his entrance.

The alpha eased himself inside, sighing at the feeling of Wooyoung squeezing him. Once he bottomed out, he leaned forward and pulled the omega's hand away from his face and kiss him as he slowly started to rotate his hips.

Low groans came from both as San continued, eventually thrusting in and out of his mate.

He moved to kiss along his jaw and neck, soon latching onto the mating mark. He ran his tongue over it several times, making Wooyoung scream with pleasure.

A scream that got louder when he sank his fangs in.

Wooyoung climaxed suddenly, fisting the fur beneath him as San licked the mark and continued to thrust into him. It was so overwhelming and yet he loved every second. The stretch, the fire, the internal burn inside him.

He whined as he fought through the over stimulation and reached for San, pulling him down to return the favor.

San cried out as he felt Wooyoung slice into his skin, adding a new layer of euphoria to his orgasm. His knot burst, linking them together yet again as he filled Wooyoung with his seed.

His wolf churned at the thought that one day this could mean pups for him.

The couple moved so they could lay down again, wrapped up together nuzzling their mating marks. Renewing the mark had set off a fire in both of them, just reaffirming the nature of their bond. Every move, twitch, and breath was in sync.

It was like they were one person, especially since they were knotted together.

San stayed inside Wooyoung even after his knot went down, both of them still wanting to feel that connection.

Although that did end with another round of love making shortly after.

After the second knot, they were forced to shift again.

\---

The couple shifted a couple more times but still had no idea how long they were in the cave.

Finally, after a particularly short shift and being left in their human form through two sleep cycles, they decided to test their luck.

San guessed it had been about two days since the last shift, and neither one of them had the tickle that gave them the impression that they might.

So they packed their bags and walked hand in hand to the entrance of the cave.

It had snowed at some point and there was almost a foot of fresh powder outside. They wrapped blankets around themselves and took a deep breath before stepping over the line of powder.

Calf deep in freezing snow, they shivered violently waiting to be forced back into wolves.

It never came.

Both crying out in relief, they pulled each other into a bone crushing hug and connected their lips in once last kiss. It was the most passionate yet as they celebrated this triumph and grew excited for the hope for their future.

As much as they hated to pull apart, they forced themselves to and willingly shifted so they could head home.

Their strides were quick and light as they ran down the narrow ravine carrying their packs and blankets.

It was time to rejoin their pack.


	14. 13

"Alright 'Mam... Enemy is in sight. How do you want to proceed?"

"Carefully. We can't alert them to our presence."

"Roger that. Stay low to the ground, we can't risk him seeing us."

Yeosang hummed to himself as he folded laundry. He would smile softly and place a hand on his small belly as he turned to grab another shirt.

"Approaching target. Slowly..."

"Attack on my command."

The beta grabbed the laundry basket and started walking to the laundry room to get more clothes.

"Target is on the move. Hold your position."

"Wait for him to come back."

He returned after a few minutes and dumped a pile of socks and underwear onto the couch to start sorting. Theo was sitting on the couch next to him, trying to help sort the socks, but he didn't seem to understand the concept and just kept handing them to Yeosang. The beta ruffled his hair and always said thank you.

"Ok, get ready. In three..."

"Two..."

"Hongjoong are you going to sit there and keep staring at me or are you going to help?" Yeosang said without turning around.

"Retreat!" Hongjoong yelled, swooping Avayla up into his arms and running down the hallway while she giggled at the top of her lungs. "Abort mission!"

"We've been discovered! Uncle Joong! Enemy approaching!"

The alpha looked over his shoulder and saw Theo running after them, a bright smile on his face as he clapped. "That's no enemy!" He brought his face close to Avayla's. "That's our spy!" He hissed, rubbing their noses together.

"Agent Theo! Report!" Avayla said as Hongjoong set her on the floor and crouched next to her.

The boy just kept giggling and then held up a sock.

Hongjoong gasped and stared at it with wide eyes. "He did it! He got the secret weapon!" He reached out and carefully took the sock. Both kids 'ooo'd' and stared at it with even wider eyes. "Do you know what this means Ava?" He whispered.

She shook her head.

"It means the enemy can't finish his mission. We have succeeded!" He cheered, picking both kids up, one under each arm, and spun them in a circle.

"Hongjoong." Yeosang said from the end of the hallway. His arms were crossed and he was tapping his foot, but there was a twinkle in his eye.

"Yes love?" Hongjoong said, arching his eyebrow and backing up slowly. Both Avayla and Theo covered their mouths as they giggled and squirmed against his side.

"Sock."

"What sock?" He asked, still backing up. He tightened his grip on the kids and turned around right as Yeosang opened his mouth to speak. "You can't catch us!" He tore down the hallway and turned into one of the bedrooms.

"I don't need to catch you. I just need to threaten to not feed you!" Yeosang yelled.

Hongjoong cried out and clutched his heart after setting the kids down. They were giggling still, but also clung to him. "Uncle Joong! What's wrong?"

"He discovered..." Hongjoong fell to his knees. "My weakness..." He twisted and fell down so he could lay on his back, letting his arm fall above his head so his hand thumped against the wooden floor in the hallway.

"Uncle Joong! How do we save you?" Avayla asked, kneeling next to his head. Theo put his head on Hongjoong's chest.

"Maybe..." He croaked, making his voice intentionally raspy. "If you return... The sock... He may spare... My life..."

"Theo! The sock!" Avayla screamed, pointing at the discarded object by the bed.

The young boy ran and grabbed it, handing it to her quickly before the two of them ran out of the room.

Hongjoong smiled to himself but stayed in his position, not wanting to give up the game yet. He could hear Avayla begging with Yeosang to save Hongjoong, then he heard his mate's deep chuckle and knew he was rolling his eyes.

And sure enough, a few moments later, Yeosang was standing over him, hands on his hips, and nudging Hongjoong's head with his foot. "Alright, I suppose you can have lunch."

"Yes! I live!" Hongjoong cheered, springing off the floor to another round of laughter. Avayla and Theo clung to his legs as he pulled Yeosang into a deep, loving kiss. He could feel his lover melting at his touch. It made his wolf churn.

"Uncle Sangie! We're hungry! You promised to feed us." Avayla said, tugging on his jeans.

The couple broke apart and Hongjoong stooped down and picked them both up again. "Aye, you both worked hard and deserve a good, hardy meal." He paused and looked at Theo. "Mac and cheese?"

He clapped his hands and nodded.

"Mac and cheese!" Avayla and Hongjoong cheered at the same time before running down the hall.

Yeosang already had the water boiling, so Hongjoong was able to take over and pour in two boxes of noodles.

The couple fell into an easy rhythm as they prepared lunch for the kids. Maria was out for the day buying more groceries for them, but she had been a huge help while everyone was gone.

Avayla had cried for several hours the first day, and off and on the next two. Theo had done the same, once he realized his parents weren't home.

That had been hard on everyone. But Hongjoong did his best to keep them entertained. He limited his perimeter runs to when they were eating or taking a nap or doing book-work so he could sneak away. Kenneth had even volunteered to do a quick sweep occasionally.

They were approaching a week since everyone had left and he would be lying if he said he wasn't worried sick. During the calm moments, like now, their presence was sorely missed as the house became quiet.

Hongjoong and Yeosang had many private conversations voicing their fears and concerns. Yeosang had said he felt like he was holding Hongjoong back because of the pregnancy, which he immediately shot down. There was no way he was putting his child at risk. Plus, Yeosang staying behind left a member of the pack behind for the kids.

As much as they loved and adored Maria, there was a different bond shared between pack members.

They just prayed that the others would be back soon.

.

.

.

.

Mingi whined as he struggled to find Seonghwa's scent. They had been searching for several days and still had no idea where his mate had been taken.

His trail had been lost just outside of the territory line. Jongho guessed they were using the same spell that was used to block the pack link inside the fortress, only enhanced to effect scents as well.

It made sense.

They had asked him about the 'L' on the tree and he told him his theory. When he thought back to it, no one had told him anything about seeing Lance on the battle field. It made sense, the man was a little weasel when it came to actually fighting.

Mingi was looking forward to ripping his throat out after making sure he suffered. He couldn't believe he used to call the man his friend.

Jongho and Yunho were never far away as they searched. They agreed to always be within line of sight, which meant a little bit of a greater distance in wolf form, but they didn't want to get separated.

No one voiced their weariness or desire to go home. All of them missed their family and their child, so they pushed it aside as best they could to stay focused on the task at hand.

But it was hard to look for someone when you had no idea where to go or where to start.

It was like Lance and Seonghwa vanished into nothing.

.

.

.

.

It was hot... Too hot...

Which could only mean one thing.

The pill was working.

Seonghwa whimpered as he panted into his gag. He could feel his stomach churning as his heat came through.

He couldn't even remember the last time he experienced a heat... His father had gotten him on suppressants right away, and when it came that time of month, Seonghwa went to a private cabin on a different property to ride it out until his body got used to the suppressants.

He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to go through this.

Lance would be back to check on him anytime now, and Seonghwa could feel his wolf begging for an alpha's knot.

His biggest fear was about how this would affect his bond with Mingi. If he was knotted by another alpha, did that mean his mark would fade? Although, Lance could make that happen by marking over it... But something told Seonghwa he wouldn't just so Mingi could feel everything.

So did that mean his mark would stay as long as an alpha helped him through his heat?

He didn't know which option was worse...

As the cramping started, he cried out into his gag and slumped in the chair. He didn't even have the strength to fight against the ropes anymore, although he could barely feel his hands.

Everything hurt. And his wolf was itching to break free.

Seonghwa knew that if he wasn't gagged, he would be saying 'alpha' every time he exhaled.

.

.

.

.

Wooyoung and San paused at the edge of their territory, nervous to proceed. They had no idea what state of mind everyone would be in, or if the others were back with Seonghwa.

But San put on a brave face and nudged the omega's shoulder before trotting forward. Hongjoong would know someone entered his territory.

It didn't take long for them to reach the house. Once it came into view, they shifted and changed. It almost felt weird to wear clothes again, but Wooyoung loved the warm embrace of one of his old, over-sized hoodies.

They walked slowly up to the door, holding hands, and before they could knock, it was pulled open slowly.

Both Yeosang and Hongjoong gave strangled cries of joy when they saw the pair standing on two legs.

All four of them embraced immediately.

Wooyoung hummed at the feeling. He had missed large group hugs like this. "Hi guys."

Yeosang sobbed and hugged him tighter. "I missed your sweet voice so much."

"I missed being able to use it." Wooyoung chuckled, returning the gesture.

"Come in, come in. Let's get you out of the cold." Hongjoong said, tugging on San while Yeosang guided Wooyoung inside.

He froze when he saw Avayla and Theo watching them with wide eyes.

Wooyoung took a deep breath and stepped forward once, then got down on his knees. San copied the motion and they waited.

"Avayla, use your senses. You should be able to recognize who they are." Hongjoong said, assuming his mantle as leader of the pack.

Her nostrils flared as she scented the air, and Theo copied her a moment later. His face changed immediately and he ran forward to Wooyoung, who opened his arms wide. The boy jumped into them and patted Wooyoung's cheek several times, then leaned over and did the same to San.

Avayla followed shortly after. "Uncle San and Uncle Youngie?" She said, watching Theo nervously.

"That's right." San said gently, holding out his hand. His scent washed over her and she glanced at Theo one more time. Once she saw him snuggled into Wooyoung's neck, she placed her hand in San's. He beamed and watched as she moved forward to hug him.

"It's weird seeing you like this." She said softly, still watching Wooyoung hold Theo.

"It's weird for us too." The omega said with a smile. His heart felt so full right now as Theo stared up at him with Jongho's bright eyes. "Have you heard from-?"

"No." Hongjoong said quickly.

"How long have we been gone?" San shuffled so he could sit down with Avayla in his lap.

"Almost a week." Yeosang sighed. "Maria is out now getting groceries for us. But we've been worried sick."

"You can't be doing that!" Wooyoung said, sending the beta a slight glare.

"I know. I've been doing my best to stay busy. But I can't help it. It's so quiet here sometimes." The beta bowed his head and Hongjoong went to his side immediately.

"Well, I guess that means we should get going then." San said quietly, glancing and Wooyoung. "That was the plan after all."

Wooyoung nodded, giving Theo a tight hug before standing. "We will go look for them. We have an idea of where they could be too."

"Where?" Hongjoong stepped forward, his eyes flashing red for a second.

"We know where Ultima is. I'm betting Lance teamed up with them, if he really is behind this." San snarled and held out his hand.

Hongjoong clasped his forearm immediately and both San and Wooyoung fell to their knees as the pack link opened to them.

Wooyoung's wolf practically howled with joy as he felt his mind open up. Yeosang helped him stand and pulled him into a hug.

"It's not fair. I hate that you have to leave again so soon." The beta said, holding on tight.

"I know." Wooyoung whispered. "But the sooner we leave, the sooner we can come back. With everyone. We need to do this."

"You sure have grown a lot, Youngie." Hongjoong said, ruffling his hair.

Wooyoung beamed at the praise.

As they all said their final goodbyes, San and Wooyoung replenished their packs and shifted in the backyard. They latched onto Mingi's scent since it was the strongest of the three and ran as fast as their legs would take them, hoping to catch up to their other pack members soon.


	15. 14

_What do you think is going to happen when they see us again?_ Wooyoung asked as they carefully picked their way down the side of a ravine.

San huffed harshly as loose rocks slid below them. Mingi must be desperate if they thought of bringing the other two this direction, especially because it was the wrong way... But maybe he sensed something they didn't, so they continued to follow his scent.

_I don't know, but I don't think we will be opened with welcome arms. Especially since they laid that trap for us. You know they won't be happy to see me..._

Wooyoung grumbled in agreement. _Hopefully we are wrong and they have already found Seonghwa._

San didn't respond. Deep down, they both knew that was a long-shot.

It would make sense for Lance and Primera to team up with Ultima. It would create the ultimate power pack, potentially even stronger than Alpha Pack had been. All because of Primera's expertise with potions and Ultima's skill with spells.

Just the thought of it made San's stomach churn. He hated the idea of being stuck in this body again for any extended period of time when it wasn't his choice.

At least they knew how to fix it though. Maria was a blessing for their entire pack and he decided they needed to do something special for her and Kenneth once all of this rolled over.

When they reached the bottom of the ravine, Mingi's scent went upstream, so they made their way up the side of the river. The snow wasn't too deep down here, but there was enough fresh powder that there were no tracks for them to follow.

The spray from the river was cold, and they shivered several times against the cold that even their coats had a hard time fending off.

They followed the ravine for several hours. Eventually, it opened up into a valley surrounded by towering mountains. The snow looked untouched in most places and seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. The few trees that dotted the valley were frozen masterpieces. At the far side there was a waterfall that was half frozen and a small herd of deer resting by the pool of water at its base.

_Wow_. Wooyoung gasped, coming to a stop next to San. _This place is beautiful._

_Yeah it is... Look, over there._ San jerked his head to the side of the valley. There was another opening like the one they were standing in. _I bet they went there. Let's go._ He surged forward and bounded through the snow.

Wooyoung chased him, making loud yapping sounds.

The herd of deer looked at them nervously, but didn't move when they ran right past.

San had been right, Mingi's scent continued down the new path that wound through the mountains.

Where were they? He and Wooyoung had been moving non-stop but it felt like they were getting nowhere.

But they wouldn't give up.

They would never give up.

.

.

.

.

Jongho's ears swiveled back and forth as they eyed the two wolves prowling in front of them. They had found a spot downwind so they wouldn't be detected.

Yunho leaned into his shoulder, seeking comfort. _Who do you think they are?_

_I don't know. We can't jump to conclusions, it's best just to watch and observe._ Jongho said, trying to stay calm.

Mingi shuffled in place, sending his agreement over the link, but Jongho could feel how anxious he was.

The two grey wolves were alphas, and they were big too. Mingi still towered over them, but they would give Jongho and Yunho a run for their money, that was for sure.

This was the first time they had come across another wolf since they left home. They knew that the war over six years ago had greatly decreased their numbers, but it still felt odd not having a lot of contact. Granted they kept going further and further into the northern mountains, and that mean less civilization.

_I don't sense anyone else._ Mingi said, his eyes shifting back and forth slowly.

_Me neither. Should we try to make contact?_ Jongho never took his eyes off the pair as they walked further down the mountainside. He couldn't tell if they were hunting or just out for a leisurely walk, although the latter was highly unlikely seeing as another storm was on the way.

_No. Let's move on._ Mingi glanced at the sky and sighed. _Where to now?_

_I think we should go talk to them_. Yunho said, glancing at the two alphas. They turned to him and Mingi narrowed his eyes. _We are nowhere closer to finding Seonghwa than the moment we left. Maybe they will know if there is a large stronghold around here, or if there is a settlement maybe._

_He's got a point, Mingi_. Jongho ran his paw through the snow in front of him. _There's three of us and two of them, so maybe we should ask them._

The older alpha let out a low snarl before bowing his head. _You're technically in charge since you're second in command, so... I trust you._

_I'll talk to them._ Yunho said. _I'll be less intimidating, but then you two will be ready attack if need be._

The thought of Yunho being so vulnerable made Jongho's gut twist, but he knew his mate had a point. He was the friendliest of the three of them, so as long as these two alphas didn't mean any harm then he would be the best one to get them to open up.

He turned and rubbed his head against Yunho's neck, partly to show his concern, and partly to make sure his scent was on him for the other alphas to sense.

Then the three of them moved across the slope, Yunho walking slightly ahead of the alphas, as they waited for the other two to notice them.

It didn't take long. They froze and turned, watching them with wary eyes.

Yunho took the first step and shifted, holding his hands up as he turned and quickly slipped some pants on. His skin instantly started to darken as the cold affected him, but he fought through it.

The two alphas looked at each other and one stepped forward, shifting slowly. He stood and dressed quickly before walking forward, his eyes flashing between vibrant green and red.

"We mean you no harm, please, we just need some help." Yunho said, bowing his head out of respect.

Jongho watched as the alpha eyed him carefully. He scented the air and his eyes flashed to Jongho.

Good. He caught onto his scent.

"Help with what?" His deep rumbling voice made Jongho shiver. He was powerful, that was certain.

"A friend of ours was taken from us. We need to find him, but we don't know where he would have been taken. Are there any packs around here? Or settlements? Please, it's important." Yunho asked, wrapping his arms around himself to try and stay warm.

The alpha just blinked several times before glancing over his shoulder at his companion. "No settlements out here. Just stragglers. Packs don't exist anymore. It's everyone for themselves." He licked his lips.

Jongho snarled and stepped forward.

The alpha just smirked. "But there is an encampment of sorts farther south. It's deep in the mountains to keep hidden. Strange things happen there. I would avoid it. Wolves who go in there, don't come out the same." He tapped his head a couple of times before shifting back and joining the other alpha.

Yunho followed suit and went to stand behind Jongho, rubbing against his alpha to try and warm up while he got settled into his fur.

They parted ways with the alphas without a backward glance as they turned back south.

The idea appealed to Jongho because it would hopefully be a little warmer and less chance of storms.

Hopefully they would find some answers too.

.

.

.

.

Seonghwa couldn't even keep his eyes open anymore. He was so hot and uncomfortable, he almost wished Lance would just come and get things over with.

Were heats supposed to be this uncomfortable? He knew the cramping could be painful but this was so extreme...

He was so lost in his own head, he didn't even register when the door opened. But he jumped a mile high when a large hand pressed against his shoulder and then ran down his chest and stomach.

His wolf churned, begging to be let free as he sensed an alpha behind him.

He needed it so bad.

Seonghwa started panting into his gag again.

" **Oh my sweet, sweet boy. Look at you, shuddering under my touch. I've waited for this for so long.** " Lance purred, bending down to lick the shell of Seonghwa's ear.

The omega let out an uncontrollable groan and tilted his head back. He knew he should be hating this... But his wolf was spiraling out of control.

.

.

.

.

Wooyoung perked up when Jongho's scent suddenly got stronger. They were still in the ravine outside the valley they had found. It was an uphill hike so it slowed their pace.

He glanced at San, who was staring intently in front of them. Then he whined as the three wolves appeared of the top of the ridge.

Wooyoung took off running, pushing his tired legs forward through the deep snow as both Jongho and Yunho slid down the slope, sending snow in front of them.

No one cared though.

As they got closer, Wooyoung shifted and yelled. "Jongho! Yunho!"

Yunho let out a loud whine right before he shifted as well and the two of them collided in a tangled mess of limbs, sending them flying down the side of the mountain.

San moved to break their fall, bracing himself and crouching low to the ground. He managed to stop them from rolling any further as Mingi and Jongho caught up to them.

That was when Wooyoung realized this was a horrible idea and pulled himself away before shifting back into a wolf. Yunho did the same and the two of them proceeded to nuzzle into one another.

_I can't believe it! It worked!_ Yunho said, licking Wooyoung's cheek several times.

_I know it was only for a second, but it was so good to hear your voice again Woo._ Jongho pushed his way in and started licking Wooyoung's neck. Then he turned and repeated the action with San, who purred and closed his eyes.

_It's good to hear yours in my head again too._ San said, shoving his head into Jongho's side.

_I could hear you!_ Jongho said, stepping back in surprise.

_You've been home? How is Avayla?_ Mingi stepped forward, taking his turn to rub against Wooyoung and San.

_Yes, how is Theo?_ Yunho whined.

_Both of them are fine. We didn't stay long, so we don't have much to report._ San moved to connect his forehead with Yunho's. _As soon as we knew you hadn't come back yet and I got the pack link back, we left. They seemed good though._

_We know where Seonghwa might be._ Wooyoung turned to look at Mingi, letting out a small whine.

_Where?_

_We think Lance might have partnered with Ultima. It would be a smart move on his part. Especially if Primera went with him. That's the only thing that makes sense with the fact that no one could sense where they went._ Wooyoung straightened up as he spoke.

_We were thinking the same thing, but we didn't know where to start looking._ Jongho moved to his side. _We just spoke with a couple of alphas we ran into and they told us of a large area situated south of here._

_That's Ultima._ San's ears fell back. _They have a large area tucked into the mountains that is well defended and not easy to get to. We can take you there._

_It's where we got the books._ Wooyoung glanced at his mate, feeling his fear of going back. _It's not going to be pretty though._

_We've been through tough situations before. I will not abandon Seonghwa._ Mingi snarled.

_And neither will we._ Wooyoung snapped, knowing his eyes flashed gold. _I was just stating that it isn't going to be easy. Especially because they will be on the lookout for San and I to return._

Mingi flinched and looked away, bowing his head a little.

_Youngie, what happened there?_ Yunho asked, concern flowing out of him.

Wooyoung turned to look at San, who closed his eyes and sighed. _I killed one of the head alpha's sons._


	16. 15

Seonghwa had tremors running through his body as Lance started to slowly untie him from the chair. He was careful to keep his hands tied together, but everything else started to come off. Including the collar, but with him being in such a bad heat, he probably wouldn't be able to shift even if he wanted to.

All he could do was pant and exhale sharply into the gag. He didn't even feel like himself anymore.

"Damn, this pill really works, doesn't it?" Lance purred as he pulled out a knife. The sound of ripping fabric his Seonghwa's ears as his shirt was cut away from his body.

He shivered as his wolf churned, wanting to feel the alpha's touch.

Sweat drenched his body and he let his head fall back. He loved the feeling of the air kissing his skin.

No... That wasn't air.

He let out a small whimper when he felt Lance's lips graze against his neck. He avoided Mingi's mark, but he managed to kiss everywhere else.

In a few places he would suck and nip until a mark was left, staking his claim on Seonghwa's body.

Then the omega was thrown onto the bed. He whined into his gag and tried to push away from the alpha, but as soon as Lance grabbed his ankle, his heat and his wolf took over and he submitted automatically.

Lance positioned him so he could tie his hands to the top of the bed, keeping him locked in place as he finished undressing him. The alpha was practically salivating as he stared down at the omega's quivering body.

" **Such perfect skin.** " He said, taking his nails and running them down Seonghwa's chest, pressing hard enough to leave deep scratches, but he didn't draw blood. " **It's mine now. Everything is mine. I'm your new alpha. Got it?** "

Seonghwa whimpered and nodded, losing the fight to his instincts. All his wolf wanted was to submit and be knotted.

It was one of the few times he wished he could be just a normal person.

Unable to control his own body, Seonghwa's legs opened up to present himself to the alpha. This earned a deep chuckle as Lance placed his hands on Seonghwa's legs and pushed them higher, making the omega shiver and whine.

Then he grabbed the omega's member, stroking it up to attention. He went faster as he stuck one finger in Seonghwa's entrance.

Seonghwa moaned into his gag as a wave of pleasure flew through him. He shouldn't be feeling this way, but it's like the heat had possessed him. He needed to be touched. He felt like he needed a knot to live, otherwise he would burn up and die right there.

Lance seemed to sense this because he moved closer to the omega's core, prodding him with the tip of his length. The omega whimpered into his gag and shut his eyes tight, whimpering as Lance dragged his nails over him again.

Without another word, he rammed himself inside, using Seonghwa's natural slick as a lube, and pounded into him.

Seonghwa screamed into his gag and threw his head back as the scream turned into a howl from his wolf.

Yes, he had an alpha. He was going to get a knot.

He kept panting heavily as he shook his head from side to side. No, this was wrong. This wasn't his alpha.

But his wolf has lost in its heat. It didn't recognize who was in him.

Lance growled and dug his nails into Seonghwa's sides, now drawing blood as he lifted him of the bed and thrust down into him.

Seonghwa couldn't tell if he was feeling pain or pleasure, and he knew it was because his two sides were warring with each other. And his wolf was winning.

He moan into his gag, matching Lance's thrusts as he started to see stars

Then he was left feeling empty as the alpha pulled out and flipped him onto his knees and shoving his face into the pillow.

Lance lifted one leg up to change his angle so he could thrust harder into the omega, forcing him further into the bed.

The stars returned as Lance thrust harder. Seonghwa had to turn his head so he could breath as he cried out, now muffled by the pillow as well.

He was thankful that Lance was so intent on pounding his brains out that he didn't feel the need to taunt him. He didn't trust himself, or more importantly his wolf, to respond appropriately.

Tears and sweat drenched the pillow as Seonghwa felt Lance's thrusts get slower. He was close. The omega whined constantly as his wolf begged for the knot. He needed it. He needed it so bad it hurt.

Lance roared in triumph as his knot burst, linking them together as he filled the omega with his seed as the omega was forced into an orgasm and sprayed the sheets below him.

Seonghwa whimpered into the pillow, shaking at the feeling. So many mixed emotions flew through his head as tremors wracked his body.

As his wolf started to fade now that it was satisfied, the realization of the pain this would cause Mingi slammed into him and he started to openly sob.

Lance just smirked as he moved them to lay down, not being gentle at all as his knot tugged against Seonghwa, making him cry out in pain. He wrapped his arms possessively around the omega and held him close. " **That's right. You're mine now. I just filled you with a pup, I hope. But then again, if it didn't take, we can just keep having more nights like this. Although, I was planning on doing that for as long as I can anyway.** " He chuckled darkly as he left marks in a circle around Seonghwa's mating mark.

All the omega could do was lay there and take it. Lance left his hands tied to the bed, and with them being knotted, he didn't stand a chance of getting away.

All he could do was pray that his alpha would forgive him...

.

.

.

.

Mingi had to work hard to stay calm as the five of them picked their way through the mountains. Wooyoung wasn't kidding when he said this place was well hidden. The trails they took were treacherous. One wrong step would send them falling to their deaths.

_How did you guys even find this place?_ He asked from his place at the rear of the line.

_We were brought here by a couple of betas._ San tilted his head slightly. _They came across us when we were sleeping and offered us a place to stay. It had been a long time since we had slept in a bed, and they didn't give off any bad vibes._

_They led us through this path to the main entrance to their pack._ Wooyoung added, his ears falling back. _They called themselves Ultima. They seemed genuine at the time, and the betas took us to their home and gave us food and new clothes._

_It didn't feel like anything was wrong while we were there._ San's tone indicated that he was mad at himself for not sensing the danger. _We were even introduced to the elder's, although we never learned their names._

_When we were asked what we were doing near their territory, San and I decided to divulge that we were looking for a powerful cure. We didn't mention it was for me, but bringing it up caused a change in the room. They started watching us, even though they allowed us to use their library to research._

San grumbled to himself and huffed. Mingi could tell he didn't like what Wooyoung was going to say next.

_The head alpha's son started getting... friendly... Even though it was obvious that I was mated with San, and San was showing his dominance to make him back off. But he didn't get the hint._

Now Jongho started to growl.

_He ended up showing us the spell books, I'm guessing as an excuse for me to stay with him. He ended up trying to... Anyway... San walked in on it and, well. . ._

_I flipped out! There's no reason to tiptoe around it. That fucker had been flirting and advancing on you the entire time we were there and I had enough!_ San snapped, twisting his head to glare at Wooyoung. The omega flinched at the sight of his flickering eyes and let out a small whine. _So yes, when I felt your unease and walked in to find his hands down your pants and you pinned against the wall, I lost it._

_We fled after that, leaving him behind in the library._ Wooyoung said softly. _They discovered him shortly after and laid a trap for us at the main gate. We had shifted, so when we passed through it, that's when the spell fell on us that trapped us in our wolf form. Then they chased us for weeks... We didn't know if it was because of the books, or the alpha, but that's why we were late._

_We were set to leave when all that happened_. San bowed his head a little. _I'm so sorry..._

_It doesn't matter now._ Mingi said, keeping is voice firm. _It's in the past. Hopefully we won't have to bring it up at all. You two should stay back though, just in case._

_I agree_. Jongho added.

No one spoke for several minutes as the trail started to widen out onto a small plateau.

Mingi was just about to exit it when suddenly it felt like something inside him was of fire. He howled in pain and stumbled, losing his footing.

Four pairs of hands grabbed onto his coat, keeping him from falling, but with him in his wolf form, the four members of his pack all struggled to hold his weight.

"Pull!" Jongho yelled, fisting Mingi's fur on either side of his neck.

Mingi struggled to find a foothold with his back legs as his body trembled.

Something had just happened to Seonghwa. He was in so much pain... What was Lance doing to him?

The others worked to pull him up, and Mingi immediately curled up into a ball as he waited for the pain to stop. It was hard for him to even breathe as it traveled up and down his body. He could hear his pack trying to speak to him, but all he could feel was Seonghwa.

His mate needed him... And he wasn't there...

What a horrible alpha he was...

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When Lance's knot when down, Seonghwa tried to wriggle a little so they would disconnect. The alpha had fallen asleep behind him and Seonghwa didn't want to have an excuse for staying connected for than they had to be.

His thoughts returned to his mate. Oh how he wished Mingi was here.

But at the same time... Part of him didn't...

Because he was going to have Lance's pups...

Seonghwa shook as tears rolled down his cheeks. This feeling was worse than death. At least the last time he had been held hostage he had known the baby was Mingi's... Now... Now he was going to be forced to have another alpha's pup.

And the worst part for him was that he knew he wouldn't be able to hate the baby either. It wasn't its fault that it was born under those circumstances...

But what would Mingi do?

Knowing his lover, Mingi would become so dominate and possessive that he would kill the pup... Especially if it looked like Lance.

Maybe he could convince Mingi to give it to someone who would adopt it. Then the baby would at least have a chance to survive.

That is... If Seonghwa ever even got to see Mingi again...

If Lance had his way, Seonghwa was going to be in this state for several years to come. It made him sick to think about it.

As Seonghwa cried, Lance shifted behind him, letting out a soft moan and holding Seonghwa tighter. His hips rocked, reaffirming the fact that they were still attached.

Seonghwa whimpered at the motion and flinched away from him, waking the alpha up.

"Good morning my pet." He said, bringing a hand up to pet Seonghwa's hair. He inhaled sharply, then started to thrust his hips, moving his hardening length in and out of the omega. " **How nice is it that you'll get to wake up to this every morning? I know I'll enjoy these morning fucks.** " He purred, sucking on Seonghwa's neck as he increased his speed.

The omega never even stood a chance as Lance tightened his grip, grunting with each upward thrust. Seonghwa just sobbed into the gag and took it, knowing that if he struggled it would be so much worse.

The alpha continued his brutal pace for several minutes, but pulled out before his knot burst, instead electing to spray his seed on Seonghwa's face and chest.

"There. I'll be back later to check on you and maybe have a little more fun. Get some rest." He patted Seonghwa's cheek and smeared the white clumps over his face, laughing as he did so. "Just to remind you who you belong to. See you soon." Lance said as he snapped the collar back around the omega's neck.

Seonghwa closed his eyes after the door slammed, too exhausted to try and fight or get free. He felt disgusting and used, and was even madder at his wolf for enjoying the first round. He was kind of grateful that he was cut off with that connection right now... He was worried his two sides would start a battle and he wasn't sure which side would win.


	17. 16

Jongho did the best he could to stay calm while Mingi recovered. He knew what if felt like to feel his mate's pain, but there wasn't much they could do about it.

All of them agreed that Mingi would be on a warpath now though... Lance didn't stand a chance if Mingi had the opportunity to get to him.

He sighed as he ran his hand through his hair and stared at their fire.

San had managed to find them a cave to stay in for the night that they were able to drag Mingi to once he calmed down a little bit. Now the alpha was curled up in the corner of the cave trying to sleep. He had asked to be left alone for a while, so they were trying to respect his wishes.

Jongho glanced at the other side of the fire. Wooyoung was wedged in between San and Yunho, with San holding him from behind while Yunho had his long arm draped over both of them. Each one of them had a small smile on their face as they slept, especially Yunho.

It filled Jongho's heart with joy seeing his mate so happy right now. All they needed now was their son... But they would be home soon enough. Jongho didn't have any intentions of being away longer than they had to.

Hopefully they would be able to take Ultima by surprise and figure out where Seonghwa was being kept quickly. The hardest part would be Mingi, but as far as they knew, Lance and only a few of the Primera wolves would recognize him. As long as he kept his head down, he should be ok.

After a little bit, Jongho crept over and gently shook San awake so he could keep watch. The alpha yawned and stretched. Then he surprised Jongho by patting the ground where he had just been laying. He arched his eyebrow to ask if San was sure, and the older just nodded with a small smile.

Slowly, Jongho lowered himself to the ground behind Wooyoung, trying to keep the blush from taking over his entire face. Yunho lifted his arm up to pull him into their little group as the alpha slowly wrapped an arm around Wooyoung's waist.

The omega let out a soft moan and shifted in place a little before setting back down.

Jongho closed his eyes and smiled, then he placed one soft kiss on the back of Wooyoung's neck before taking his turn to sleep.

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San got himself situated by the entrance of the cave and closed his eyes as a slight breeze blew against his face. He knew this was the calm before the storm, but that didn't stop him from enjoying this moment of peace.

He knew he would need it too. The prospect to getting this close to Ultima made him nervous. They would be out for blood once they recognized him. And the chances of them running into Primera were higher too.

The fact that they avoided anyone in Primera the first time was a miracle. Unless... Unless they knew the entire time and didn't want them to know.

That would make sense with some of the information San had found while he was there.

He glanced back at Wooyoung and sighed.

"What's the matter?" Mingi asked, making San jump. He looked to see the alpha walking over to him scratching his head,

"How are you feeling?"

"Shitty." The taller growled, glaring at the entrance of the cave as he plopped down next to San. "How long have they been sleeping?"

"I just took over Jongho's watch." San said as they both turned to look at the sleeping trio.

"How can you be ok with that? I'd go crazy if any of you tried to sleep with Seonghwa like that. Well, any of the other alpha's at least."

San didn't have to think before he answered. "Because he's my Soulmate. I know deep down that his heart will always belong to me, no matter what happens. Plus... Growing up without a family, I don't understand the full pack bond like he grew up with. I know he craves the contact, and that's why he gets so clingy sometimes. All the abuse he's been through can't erase that." He paused as he looked at the sleeping alpha. "Plus, he was technically Jongho's first, so there is still that connection. In a way, Jongho saved my life."

"I thought you saved his?"

"I did, when those alphas attacked. But... I'd probably still be on my own if he hadn't been willing to let me stay with them that first night. Sure I might still be alive, but I wouldn't know what it's like to love someone, and have someone love you in return. So I have him to thank for that."

"Yeah, but knowing you, you would have followed them to stay close to Wooyoung even if Jongho had rejected you." Mingi chuckled, reaching over to ruffle San's hair.

He hummed and nodded. "You're probably right. But then I wouldn't have the bond with Jongho or Yunho either. Those first few days as a pack really put a lot of strain on us, and I think it made us even stronger. Plus Yunho would have kicked both our asses if we ever did anything to hurt Wooyoung."

They both laughed at this and stared up at the moon.

"Can I ask you something?" San spoke up after several minutes.

"Of course."

"If... If you knew some information about someone, that could potentially hurt them and also possibly take them away from you... Would you tell them?" He looked up at the other alpha and saw his forehead crease.

"What are you talking about?" When San didn't answer, Mingi continued. "I mean, I've learned that keeping secrets, no matter what they are, can do more harm than good. I thought I was going to lose Seonghwa when he found out my dad was head alpha of Alpha Pack. I hid it from him for that reason, and when he found out my fear still almost came true."

San hummed and looked back at the moon.

"What's going on, San?"

"I found out something else, while in Ultima..." He started, but then the sound of rocks rolling down a cliff came from outside their cave.

Both alphas jumped up and moved to stand in front of their sleeping pack. There was no point in trying to hide, their fire was a dead giveaway, but was needed for the cold nights.

Mingi let out a low, rumbling growl as a single red wolf appeared in front of them.

Her eyes zoned in on San immediately.

She was an alpha, and a powerful one at that, but she wasn't showing any signs of attacking. Instead, she nodded and jerked her head to the side.

"What do you want?" Mingi asked, speaking up.

San spun around and worked on waking the others up. He didn't like this. While he didn't recognize the wolf, he didn't want to take any chances.

"No. Tell us what you want." Mingi said, indicating she had motioned for them to follow her again.

Jongho placed himself between Yunho and Wooyoung as soon as he realized what was going on, while San moved to stand behind them. He reached forward and took Wooyoung's hand, needing to draw on some of his strength.

Still the female didn't speak. All she did was jerk her head to the side.

"No." Mingi's voice was firm, but he hadn't tapped into his dominance yet. "We know nothing about you. We aren't going anywhere with you until you give us some answers."

She just huffed and turned to walk away.

"That was weird..." Jongho said, crouching next to Mingi.

"You can say that again. I vote none of us leave this cave for a little while. Who knows what kind of traps that could be placed along the rest of this valley?" San shuffled in place and pulled Wooyoung into his arms. "Plus if she's with Ultima then they know Wooyoung and I are here."

Yunho bristled at the thought of this and rolled his shoulders. "Well we will teach them not to mess with us."

"Don't forget, they know powerful magic. That's why San and I were stuck as wolves." Wooyoung warned. Yunho grumbled and flicked a rock away with his finger.

"I think we may need more help..." Jongho moved to sit down next to his mate, pulling him into his lap to try and calm him down. "If they are as powerful as you say they are, I don't think the five of us can do this alone."

"And what do you suggest? We go back and get Hongjoong and Yeosang?" Mingi snapped, his hands shaking as he balled them into fists. "Seonghwa is in there, having I... I don't what to even imagine what, done to him. I will not abandon him!"

"We aren't going to be much good to him if we are overpowered and captured as well, Mingi." Jongho said, moving Yunho off his lap and standing to look up at Mingi. "I never said to abandon Seonghwa. We all want him back. But I don't think we can do this alone."

Yunho stood too, placing a hand on Jongho's shoulder. "What did you have in mind?"

San chewed on his bottom lip as he held Wooyoung closer to him. He couldn't get over the female alpha. Why had she seemed so familiar? He hadn't really encountered many alphas when they had been with Ultima outside of the elders and head alpha.

Who was she?

The next thing Jongho said snapped his attention back to the present.

"Have you spoken with Colonel Gregson recently?"

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"Uncle Sangie!" Avayla shouted from her room at the top of her lungs. "Uncle Sangie!"

"What is it baby?" He sighed as he turned to walk down the hallway.

"Help." The little girl held up her workbook to him. She always seemed to struggle with writing, and that was the part she was stuck on.

Yeosang gave her a soft smile before sitting down at her table with her and Theo. "What are you stuck on?"

"I can't get it right." She said, a slight whine to her voice. The beta bent over to examine her attempts to copy the letter 'g' and let out a soft chuckle. They all look like the number '8'.

"You just need to shorten the tail. Like this." He took her pencil and showed her how to do it. Deep down, he knew she could do it on her own, he had seen her do it before. But with Seonghwa being gone almost a week now, her neediness was slowly getting worse.

And it was draining him day by day.

She didn't seem to want Maria as much either, probably because she wasn't used to female company.

Theo, on the other hand, didn't show signs of neediness toward Yeosang or Hongjoong, but he would cry whenever Avayla left him alone for more than a couple minutes.

He spent the next hour or so helping the kids with their letters, only stopping when there was a light knock on the door.

"How's it going in here?" Hongjoong asked, leaning against the door frame.

Yeosang hummed and looked up at him. "Good, just doing some work."

"Why don't you take a break, love? You look tired." His alpha said as he walked over and started to rub his shoulders.

"That feels good..." Yeosang closed his eyes and leaned back into his mate.

"Come on, let me get you tucked into bed so you can take a nap. I'll be right back, ok?" He said to Avayla, who just nodded in response.

Hongjoong pulled Yeosang down the hall to their room. When the door was closed, the beta felt soft lips press against his neck and ears. He sighed and turned to putty in Hongjoong's hands as he was brought over to the bed and guided to lay down.

As soon as Yeosang's head hit the pillow, he started to feel as drowsy as he must have looked. "What about you?"

"I'll stay with the kids. You need to get some rest. You're taking care of two people now." Hongjoong spoke softly as he kissed Yeosang's forehead.

"When do you think they will be back?" Yeosang could hear the slight whine to his voice, but he couldn't help it. He missed his pack. The home was so empty without them...

Hongjoong sat next to him and ran his hands through his hair. "Don't dwell on it, love. They will be back as soon as possible, you know they will. We need to stay strong."

Yeosang nodded and closed his eyes. His alpha was right. There is no point in dwelling on it. He sighed and snuggled down under the covers, feeling sleep overtake him as Hongjoong continued to rub his head.


	18. 17

Yunho sat off to the side with Wooyoung while the three alphas tried to come up with a game plan. While Mingi wasn't opposed to contacting the colonel, the idea made him nervous.

It made Yunho nervous too... While he had been a huge help to them last time, there was no saying he would be willing to help them now. The Hunters had sworn to kill of their race...

And who knew if he was even still in charge?

Although his parting gift was his phone number saying to call if he was needed, so maybe there was a chance?

He sighed and pulled Wooyoung into a tighter hug. "How are you doing?" He asked softly, closing his eyes and resting his head on top of the omega's.

"I'm doing ok."

"Scared?"

"A little."

"Me too." Their voices were now a whisper. For whatever reason, Yunho had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something was going to happen, and he didn't like it.

He was just thankful that Theo was home and safe. He missed his little boy terribly and was afraid Theo would hate them for leaving, but he tried not to dwell on those thoughts. At least he had family taking care of him. And Avayla would protect him too.

"What's Ultima like?"

Wooyoung pursed his lips as he picked at his nails. "Honestly? It's actually kind of beautiful. You can tell they put a lot of time and effort into making it a city for them to be proud of."

"City?"

"Yes. It's probably three times the size of the fortress. They built it to last with no intention of having to leave it. It's tucked away in the mountains so there is only on entrance, unless you want to try sliding down a steep cliff, which they have spiked so that's impossible anyway. Everyone seems happy. They have plenty of food and water. They do supply runs to human towns and cities every week, taking several large trucks to haul food and supplies back. But they raise their own cattle, sheep, and I think I heard they even raise elk somewhere."

"Wow. No wonder they are an ancient pack." Yunho had to admit he was impressed.

"All of the houses are nice and spacious, although smaller than ours. They have schools for the kids, plenty of jobs, and their library is impressive."

"And the son? Did he really...?"

"Yes." Wooyoung sighed and Yunho held him tighter. "Although he never did anything until that last day. He was actually really nice, until it came to San. But he was persistent, so the day San snapped he did try to force himself on me. It was my fault really, now that I look back on it."

Yunho gritted his teeth. There was no way this was Wooyoung's fault.

"I could have been firmer with him, but I was hoping he was going to lead us to the spell books. Which, he did, so that ended up working." The omega let out a nervous chuckle as he looked up to where San was glancing at them. "But we all know what ended up happening there."

"Did he have any siblings?"

"One. A younger brother, so the pack still has someone to take over once his parents step down." Wooyoung said as if that was a concern of his.

Yunho just smiled at his friend. "You're too caring sometimes, you know that?"

Wooyoung blushed a little, but nodded. "I know. But when I grew up being treated like shit I don't feel the need to treat others that way. No one deserves that."

Yunho nodded and glanced back at the alphas. Both San and Jongho had soft smiles on their faces, indicating they had heard their conversation.

Jongho locked eyes with Yunho and mouthed 'love you' before turning back to Mingi.

The beta hummed and closed his eyes. They were in for a long night at this rate.

Just as he was starting to doze off, Mingi growled and flopped to the floor. "Fine! We will head back and find the closest phone. But I am not going any further!"

"And I don't want you to." Jongho crossed his arms. "But like I said, I think we are going to need some help, and if he is willing to help us, that will be our best bet. The more power we have on our side, they better our chances will be."

"And wasn't he willing to spare the innocent last time?" San asked, glancing between the two.

"Yes. With some persuasion." Yunho spoke up from where he was sitting. "It wasn't easy, but I think Yeosang is the one who convinced him that we aren't actually that different. His men are a different story, but they followed his orders without complaint. This could work Min."

The alpha huffed and stared back at him. "I know it could. I just... Leaving him in there."

"I know." The beta said, tilting his head. "None of us like it, but like we said before, we are no help to him if we get taken as well. And I really don't want to be in the hands of Primera, or Ultima by the sounds of it. If he's not... Not dead by now, then I'm sure Lance is planning on using him as bait for you."

Mingi's eyes flashed red and he snarled.

"So if you go charging in there, you'll be walking right into his trap." Yunho finished.

"Well and it doesn't help that you two can't go in there!" Mingi's voice rose as he motioned to San and Wooyoung. "That puts us down two men!"

"Hey!" San snapped, standing up so he could tower over Mingi. "You have no room to judge me when we all know you'd do the same thing!"

The air was getting thick with dominance as Mingi bristled and slowly stood up, now using his height to look down on San. "Yeah, but I wouldn't have killed the head alpha's son."

" **You would kill anyone who comes between you and Seonghwa. Even one of us.** "

" **You want to test this theory?** " Mingi snarled marching forward.

"Stop!" Wooyoung called, scrambling up from where he was sitting. He ran on shaking legs as he fought against the dominance. "We shouldn't be fighting right now!"

" **I can take you any day.** " San's lip curled as he held his ground.

" **I doubt that.** " Mingi roared and went to lunge forward, but Wooyoung planted himself between the two alphas.

San instantly froze and pulled his mate out of the way as Mingi stumbled forward, trying to stop the momentum he had created.

Yunho ran forward as well, kneeling next to Mingi and helping him up off the ground. "Please, calm down. This isn't what a family is supposed to do."

Mingi let out a sound that was a mixture between a sob and a sigh as he glanced up at Wooyoung. "You've got balls kid... Thanks."

"You're not that much older than me." Wooyoung said with a slight pout as San's arms trapped him against his chest.

At that, everyone started laughing, even the omega.

"Let's get out of this cave and get to a phone. I want to get home as soon as possible." Mingi sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, San. I didn't mean to snap."

The smaller alpha smiled and shook his head. "I snapped first. We are all on edge."

"We need to stay strong and make sure to work together." Wooyoung said, looking between everyone. "We are strongest when we are united as one. Remember that." His eyes flashed gold for a split second.

Yunho smiled at his friend and nodded in agreement, but then he saw a strange look flash across San's face as he pulled Wooyoung closer to him, nuzzling his mating mark quickly.

What was that about?

Jongho seemed to notice it too and moved to stand closer to Yunho, moving his hand so their fingers brushed against each other. He was concerned too.

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When Seonghwa awoke again he was alone. He was surprised to see that, while he was still naked, he had been cleaned up and was now only chained to the bed by one ankle.

His hands flew to the collar around his neck and found it was padlocked shut, so there was no way he could remove it himself. Which answered his questions as to why his hands were left unbound.

He opened and closed his mouth several times, loving that he was no longer gagged either.

Then the pain came.

He groaned as his lower back screamed with pain and when he went to put pressure on it, his shoulders ached as well.

Lance definitely hadn't been gentle with him...

And as if the very thought summoned him, the door opened and Lance came striding into the room, his hands clasped behind his back.

Following him was a familiar woman.

"Juno?" Seonghwa asked as he pushed himself against the headboard.

"I thought you would appreciate a familiar face." Lance said, his voice void of all emotion. "She will be helping you through your pregnancy, starting with tests. You will take one daily until we get a positive back. I have a few meeting to take care of." His eyes flashed red. "I got reports of a small group of wolves on the edge or our territory and I have sent one of my trusted advisors to investigate."

Seonghwa's heart started to pound, praying that it was Mingi and the others. He knew they would find him.

"But don't worry, I'll be back later for some fun." The corner of Lance's mouth lifted for a split second before he rounded on Juno. "Do what you need to do and get out. No socializing, got it?"

She nodded in compliance as she moved to the cart she had wheeled in with her.

"Someone will be by later to bring you food." Lance finished before hurrying out, slamming the door behind him.

"I'm so happy you survived." Seonghwa said, giving the beta a small smile. Even though she had worked for Alistar, she had treated with him kindness and showed him the first images of Avayla, so there was some string of attachment between them.

Or so he thought.

Following Lance's orders, Juno didn't speak to him as she came over and started taking his vitals. She never showed any sign that she was worried for him as she checked out his cuts and bruises, then took a small sample of blood.

Then he was left alone again as she shuffled from the room.

A couple of hours later, Juno came back with a tray of food consisting of bacon and eggs and some toast with butter. At least Lance wasn't going to be stingy with the food.

"Thank you." He said to Juno, hoping she would speak to him this time.

She didn't even smile at him as she left the room.

He sighed and worked his way through his meal, realizing how hungry he was, but not wanting to eat to fast so he could make it last. Plus it passed the time. A little...

Was this going to be his life now? Trapped in a room to go through daily tests, only getting to see Lance and Juno?

It seemed that way for now when she came back with his lunch, and later on with his dinner. Both times Seonghwa made a point to thank her for the food and both times she ignored him.

When he had finished his meal, he curled up on his bed and thought of his family, using them to help keep his hope burning.

They would never give up on him. Especially Mingi. They had been through too much together for them to leave him behind. Plus Avayla needed him. And he needed her. He missed her small hand gripping his shirt, or the bright laugh she had when playing with Theo.

A tear rolled down Seonghwa's cheek as he pulled a pillow to his chest to hold on to. "Mama will come back to you..." He whispered, holding the pillow tighter.

His heart sank when he heard the door open again and was blasted with alpha pheromones.


	19. 18

Lance adjusted himself as he left Seonghwa's room, a smirk still carved onto his face as he walked down the hall.

He felt so much better now that he could stop by for a quick break before getting back to work. The look on Seonghwa's face was just priceless and it made his member twitch at the thought.

He understood why Mingi had picked the feisty omega.

Chuckling to himself, he stepped into the office he had set up for himself where he could mark off information brought to him about other packs that were starting to form again. Their race was slowly starting to put themselves back together after the war six years ago.

Just in time for him to rip them apart.

Lance walked over to a picture he had of Alistar and pulled out the knife already embedded in it, twirling it lazily through his fingers. "Well, old friend." He sneered. "It looks like my plan is just about ready to be put into motion. Soon I'll be ruling over everyone in this area, something you only dreamed of doing!"

He turned his back to the picture and stared down at his map. It was covered in red and blue 'X's'. Red for the locations of known enemy and future prisoners. Blue for wolves who have already pledged themselves to him.

Soon he would call on those wolves and start building up his army.

"My time is coming. If only you had trusted me, maybe you would still be alive." Lance lifted his eyes from the map and tightened his grip on the knife. "But that only means..."

He spun around and threw the knife with all his might. "I WOULD HAVE HAD TO KILL YOU MYSELF!" The knife embedded itself in the wall, right between Alistar's eyes.

Lance laughed to himself, then glanced at the door when there was a soft knocking. "Enter."

A female alpha with light blonde hair and a stone cold face walked in, her arms clasped behind her back.

"Report." Lance said as he moved behind his desk.

"They are in the canyon. One of the side caves. Five of them. I tried to get them to follow me, but they wouldn't without speaking to me. They are wary."

"As they should be. I'm impressed. I thought Mingi would come storming in here ready for blood. Maybe I underestimated them." Lance ran his hand over his chin. "We need to come up with a way to get them inside, or at least get them separated."

"You know my wish." She said, keeping he eyes locked on him.

"Yes, yes. And you'll get it. I've working it all out with Reece. You'll get what you want, and he compromised and will get what he wants."

"Thank you, Sir."

"No, thank you for your help. I couldn't have done this without you and your mate. You both are irreplaceable." Lance bowed his head to her. "I want the two of you to keep an eye of them, and if you see the opportunity, take it. I trust your judgement."

"I won't let you down, Sir." She returned his bow.

"I know you won't, Freya."

.

.

.

.

Mingi set a quick pace as they made their way back down the canyon. His heart hurt more the further away they got from Ultima, but he knew the others were right.

They needed help.

San directed them from behind, helping them to navigate the twists and turns.

How they were supposed to find a phone nearby, Mingi had no idea. But he vowed to not lose hope.

There were several times that he had to stop and wait for the others, along with Yunho, because of their longer legs. They got a little too far ahead occasionally and Wooyoung, who was in the middle, lost track of them.

The air was getting colder too, so Mingi started to fear that another storm was going to roll in.

It was official. He hated winter. He would never complain about the hot summers ever again.

As they approached the edge of the canyon, the five of them huddled together for warmth as they tried to pick a way to go.

_If we head due east there has got to be a sign somewhere that points to a city or even a town._ San said as he leaned into Wooyoung's side.

_I agree, or at least a house of some sort. Some humans like to live by themselves out here, right?_ Yunho looked at everyone and shook some of the snow out of his fur.

Mingi looked up, not realizing it had started. He grumbled and just nodded before turning to start trotting east.

The others followed him and used the excuse of the open area to fan out a little bit. They traveled in silence as they kept their senses on high alert.

Mingi could sense other wolves nearby, but it didn't feel like anyone had claimed this territory yet, so they were safe to pass through it without raising too many alarms. A pack of five would be intimidating right now. Even six years later, large packs were still hard to come by, from what they had heard at least.

When things started to get dark, Yunho and Jongho scouted ahead, looking for a place they could sleep for the night.

The snow was coming down thick and heavy, although the flakes were light and fluffy, it was still making it hard for them to see clearly.

_We found a small area that is fairly protected from the snow. If we dig out some of the branches there should be room for all of us to lay down._ Yunho said. _Keep going straight then go right at a twisted looking tree. We are going to get started._

Mingi huffed and ran forward, the other two flanking him. The tree wasn't far ahead, and shortly after they found the large bunch of bushes Yunho had mentioned. They had grown together to form a natural barrier, allowing them to crawl inside and be protected from the wind and snow.

The five of them curled up together for warmth and tried to get some rest.

It evaded them though.

_What are we going to do if we can't get a hold of him? Or if he isn't Colonel anymore?_ Mingi asked after a long sigh.

_We can't go down that route ring now Min_. Yunho said, shifting his head so he could lick the alpha's muzzle.

Mingi let out a brief huff and moved so their noses were touching. _I know... It's so hard though. I hate not knowing anything._

_We all do_. Jongho closed his eyes as he settled down between his mate and Wooyoung. _We will figure it out Mingi. We need to stay strong for Seonghwa's sake._

_I know. Thank you for being my rock in this._ The alpha said with a soft whine.

The pack all moved closer to him as they tried to get some rest.

It didn't last long though.

Mingi awoke with a jolt when a howl sounded nearby. The others heard it to and all of them turned to look to the north.

Another howl answered the call. This one was closer.

Then they heard snow crunching outside their shelter. Jongho pushed himself off the ground and snarled at the small entrance they had made. His hackles rose as he prepared to lunge.

"Don't attack!" A high pitched female voice said. "We aren't going to hurt you!"

"Yeah loves, we sensed you and thought we'd offer you a warm place to say." Another female said.

Jongho stopped snarling and tilted his head before turning back to the others.

"We are coming in, as a sign of trust, just don't kill us, ok?" The first one said with a light giggle.

The five of them backed up, the three alphas up front to protect the others.

The bushes rustled for a few moments before the two females pushed their way in and crouched at the entrance. They pulled their jackets tighter to them as they looked around.

"Wow, this is actually a really great shelter!" The first one said. She was petite and thin, with bushy red hair that flew in all directions, most likely because of the wind.

The other one nodded in agreement before eyeing the five males in front of her. He had raven black hair that fell straight around her face. "Will one of you shift so we can talk?"

"Tina, you could say please." The red head said, covering her mouth as she giggled.

Mingi let out a low warning growl and they both looked at him. He could sense that they were both betas by the way they flinched when he did.

Jongho glanced at him, then stepped forward and shifted. Both Wooyoung and Yunho moved forward to press into his sides to keep him warm as she shivered against the cold. "Wh-What do y-you want?"

"We'll keep this quick." Tina jerked her head behind her. "We have a place not far from here It would be a warm place to stay and we have plenty of food. It beats staying out here in the cold."

"How d-do we kn-know w-we can trus-st you?"

The red head flashed a playful smile. "That's up to you! You'll never know if you don't try." She winked at them before the couple vanished through the bushes.

Jongho quickly shifted back and started rubbing against Yunho, trying to warm himself up. _Wh-What do you th-think?_ He asked as Yunho started to lick him rapidly. Wooyoung joined in on the other side.

Mingi scrunched his nose and huffed. _Let's give it a try. I really hate sleeping outside in the snow._ He grumbled.

San chuckled and pressed his nose into Mingi's neck before squirming through the exit.

When Mingi crawled out, the two betas were sitting and waiting for them, tails wagging and smiles tugging at their muzzles. One was different shades of brown while the other one was black and grey. They let out an excited whine and turned around, leading the group further east.

Their house wasn't far away. It was a modest little cabin that had smoke billowing from the chimney.

The girls shifted on the front porch and quickly pulled their jackets on before opening the front door and ushering the others inside. They were polite and turned their backs as the pack shifted and dressed.

Then Mingi cleared his throat to signal that they were done.

Tina turned around quickly. "Welcome to our home. I'm Tina, and this is Marylou."

The red head waved her hands in greeting with a wide smile on her face. "Hi! It's nice to meet you! It's been a long time since we've had any visitors."

Mingi introduced his pack one by one, earning bright smiles from the girls. "So are you all one pack?" Tina asked as she worked her black hair into a braid.

"Yes." Jongho answered quickly.

"And what are you doing way out here?" She arched an eyebrow, then turned to smile at Marylou as she skipped around the kitchen, pulling out what looked like ingredients for a stew.

Mingi and Jongho exchanged glances and the taller shrugged his shoulders, leaving the decision up to Jongho.

The young alpha sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "A friend of ours was taken and we are trying to get him back."

Marylou gasped and dropped the bowl in her hand. It shattered against the floor and she jumped back. "Oh Tinee, I'm sorry." She cried out as she fell to her knees.

"LouLou, be careful! It's sharp." The other said, rushing to her aid to clean up the shards of the bowl.

Wooyoung also ran forward and crouched down, helping to pick everything up. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, oh I'm such a klutz." Marylou said, wringing her wrists. "What happened to your friend?"

"We think he was taken by Ultima. We... Had some enemies resurface from our past and we think they may be out for revenge." Wooyoung said quietly.

Mingi looked away and tried to force down his anger.

"Wait." Tina said as she stood. "You look familiar." She stepped closer to Mingi. Then she gasped and covered her mouth before she grabbed Marylou and pulled her into the corner of the kitchen. "Get out of our house!" She yelled.

Wooyoung stood up and backed away, holding his hands up. San immediately jumped in front of him and snarled.

"Tinee, what's going on?" Marylou asked, trying to move from behind the other's back.

"No! Marylou they aren't safe. Especially him!" She growled, her eyes flashing bright blue.

"I don't understand..." Jongho said, holding his hands up and stepping forward slowly. "You invited us here."

"Yeah, that was until I recognized him. You worthless piece of shit!"

"Hey! Watch it!" Yunho cried out his eyes now flashing blue too.

"How can you be in his presence?" Tina yelled, still pressing Marylou into the wall.

Wooyoung glanced back at Yunho. "What are you talking about?"

"And you!" She looked at Wooyoung with wide, fearful eyes. "Are they holding you against your will? We will protect you if you come with us."

Mingi had enough. He snarled and started to step forward, but Yunho moved to stop him. The look on his face was telling him to stay calm.

"I don't understand." Tina said, tears coming to her eyes. "How can you be with that bastard from Alpha Pack?"


	20. 19

Wooyoung's eyes widened at Tina's statement. How did she know that Mingi used to be with Alpha Pack?

Unless...

He placed a hand on San's shoulder as he moved to step around him, but San didn't budge, still starting at the two betas in front of them.

Mingi had visibly paled and his hinds were shaking. Yunho and Jongho quickly pulled him back so he was behind the rest of the pack.

"See! He won't even let you come to us!" Tina shouted, her eyes flashing to San. "Let him go you bastard!"

Wooyoung felt San tense and quickly yanked on his shoulders to turn him around. "San. Take a deep breath. They are just scared." He whispered. San's eyes faded back to his normal chocolate brown and he nodded.

Then he glanced back at where Mingi was leaning limp against a wall while Yunho fussed over him. Jongho had his eyes locked on the betas.

"We are not being held against our wills." Wooyoung said, glancing back at Tina. "I think we all just need to take a deep breath, and we can explain. Please."

"Tinee, if they wanted to hurt us, they would have." Marylou said, putting a hand on the other's shoulder.

Tina tilted her head to look at Marylou and her bright blue eyes faded back to a natural shade of blue. After a moment, she turned back to Wooyoung. "Fine, but only you and the other beta talk. I want the other three against the wall."

San looked like he was about to protest, but Wooyoung quickly said, "Ok."

His mate looked at him, curling his lip, but Wooyoung just placed a hand on his cheek and nodded. San leaned into the touch and sighed. "Fine." He grumbled before going to take Yunho's place at Mingi's side.

Yunho stepped forward and stood next to Wooyoung. They exchanged a nervous glance, but he nodded, motioning for Wooyoung to start.

"Now let's start over. My name is Wooyoung, this is Yunho. Behind is Jongho, Yunho's mate." He said, emphasizing the last word. "Mingi. And San is my mate."

Tina and Marylou studied them, a million questions crossing their faces, but they let Wooyoung continue.

"You were held prisoner at the fortress, weren't you?" Yunho asked softly.

"Yes. For over two years." Tina said, her eyes flashing bright blue again. "They picked us up while we were traveling. We've never felt the need to stay with a pack and settle down, until recently, so we were easy targets."

"I'm sorry..." Yunho said. "I saw where you were held. That can't have been easy. One of our pack members was held there as well."

Their eyebrows raised in surprise. "But they never got you?"

"No. We were ambushed and separated. There are eight of us total. Yunho and I were able to escape, while our other beta, Yeosang, and other omega, Seonghwa, were taken hostage. Seonghwa is Mingi's mate, and he is who we are looking for now." Wooyoung said slowly, waiting for them to react. "Yes, Mingi was a part of Alpha Pack while you were there, but it was against his will. He was forced to take a potion that gave his father control over him."

Marylou tilted her head and looked at Mingi. "He does... Feel different now Tina."

"We are the ones who helped free you." Yunho said, glancing down at Wooyoung. "He's the one who killed Alistar."

Then something flashed across their faces as they looked at them. "I thought you looked familiar!" Marylou screeched. "I mean, it was hard to tell because it's dark out, but you're the little orange wolf from the great hall!"

Wooyoung blushed heavily but nodded. "Yes. And our head alpha, Hongjoong, and his mate Yeosang, were the ones freeing the prisoners. Along with some humans who we formed an alliance with at the time."

Tina scrunched her nose. "Yeah that was weird." Then she sighed. "Alright, let's get some food in you. Come on LouLou." She took the redhead's hand and pulled her away from the wall.

"Sorry for how we reacted." Marylou said, giving them an apologetic smile.

"No we understand." Jongho stepped forward to take Yunho's hand. "Times are rough and we know you two must have been put through hell..."

"Yeah..." Tina muttered, looking at the ground. "They just held us prisoner for a long time until they figured out their 'lottery'. But once we had alphas assigned to us, well... I guess we are betas and not omegas." Then she glanced at Wooyoung with wide eyes. "Were you?"

Wooyoung let out a nervous laugh. "No. Not in the way you were." He felt San tense next to him and smiled when he felt his alpha's arms snake around his waist from behind. "It's a long story that I'd rather not get into right now if that's ok?"

"Of course honey! We understand." Marylou smiled as she and Tina started to hustle around the kitchen.

Soon the cabin was filled with the delicious aroma of cooking meat and several layers of spices and roasting vegetables.

Wooyoung loved watching the two betas. They seemed to almost dance around the kitchen and Tina would often move to kiss the back of Marylou's head.

"How long have you two been together?" He asked at one point.

"Oh man, over twenty years I think." Tina said, tapping her thumb.

Wooyoung smiled. They didn't look a day over twenty-two, but that was one of the things about their race. They aged much, much slower than humans. Many wolves lived to be several hundred years older. He would be willing to bet that Lizbeth was close to nine hundred before she had died.

He looked at San, smiling as he thought of the many years ahead of them.

His mate returned the glance, knowing exactly what Wooyoung was thinking and pulled the omega into his lap. A chill ran down Wooyoung's spine as San kissed his mating mark several times. "San..." He whispered, feeling slightly embarrassed by the attention.

San had been acting off for some time now, and Wooyoung could feel the anxiety coming from him. They needed to talk soon, he didn't like that San was hiding something from him.

"You two are cute." Marylou said, giving them a wide smile as she spun in a circle.

Wooyoung blushed and whispered, "Thanks."

"So," Tina said as she started to serve the stew. "You're looking for your friend?"

"Yes." Mingi said from the corner he was still sitting in. "We think we know where he is, but it's too heavily guarded and we were hoping to find a phone to try and call for some help."

"We have one you can use!" Marylou ran into the other room and came back carrying a cellphone. "It doesn't have the best reception, but it works ok here."

Tina eyed Mingi nervously. "Where is he being kept?"

Wooyoung bit his lip as he felt the anxiety in the room starting to rise again. He felt like they were still on thin ice with the two betas, even though they had calmed down and were opening up a little. He couldn't blame them, though. If they had been at Alpha Pack for two years... But he sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "At the Ultima fortress."

Both betas froze and looked at him with wide eyes. "Please say you're kidding."

"Well, we don't know for sure, but it's the only place that makes sense. We have an old enemy that came and took him, wanting to get back at Mingi." Yunho said softly, glancing at the alpha.

"Is his name Lance?" Tina asked, her voice shaking.

Mingi pushed himself from the corner. "Y-You've seen him?"

Both girls nodded slowly. "He has been visiting all the wolves in the area, wanting to recruit them. He has been offering shelter, food, and protection for when the humans attack." Tina explained.

"We haven't given him an answer yet. He said we had time to think about it." Marylou glanced at her mate. "But he made us uncomfortable."

"He was with Alpha Pack too." Mingi clenched his fists.

The girls let out a gasp and covered their mouths.

"If he is recruiting, I have a feeling he is using the humans attacking as an excuse to build up another army. He was always jealous that my father chose me over him, even after I had left the pack... I wouldn't be surprised if this is a grand scheme of his to try and prove my father made the wrong choice... And taking Seonghwa was just a way to get back at me."

Jongho stood up and held his hand out for the phone. Marylou gave it to him without question and he walked it over to Mingi. "Make the call."

The taller nodded and dialed the phone number he must have taken the time to memorize. Then he pressed a button to put it on speaker.

Wooyoung started to wring his wrists as they all waited impatiently while it rang.

San grabbed his hands to calm him and held him tight.

Then the phone stopped ringing and a deep, stern voice answered.

"Hello?"

.

.

.

.

Seonghwa rolled over in bed and winced at the sound of his chain around his ankle. He would never get used to the sound.

The door opened a few minutes later and Juno walked in, carrying a tray of food and the blood test kit she used to draw some of his blood every day.

By now, Seonghwa had stopped greeting her. After a week of not getting any response he knew better than to even try. It wasn't worth the additional heartache.

He held out his arm obediently and winced when she inserted the needle. It only took a few minutes for the vial to fill, then Juno took out the needle and placed a gauze pad over it before wrapping a piece of tape around his arm.

Then she left without another word.

Seonghwa sighed and pulled the tray of food to him. Bacon, eggs, toast, and orange juice. He had the same thing for breakfast every day. Although he couldn't complain. At least Lance was feeding him, and everything always tasted really good too.

When he had finished his meal, Juno was back like clockwork to get the tray and bring in a fresh pitcher of water.

Now all he could do was settle down and wait. The chain didn't allow him to move more than a few inches from the bed, so there was no point in leaving it unless he felt the need to stretch his limbs. Seonghwa tried to do this once every hour or so, hoping to keep his muscles and joints from locking up.

Several hours passed without a visit from Lance, which was odd. Normally he would have come in by now for at least a quick blowjob...

Seonghwa stared at the door, wondering what was going on.

But he got his answer soon.

The door burst open and Lance came in with a wide smile on his face. "Hello, Seonghwa." He purred.

The omega pulled his knees to his chest and watched as Lance stalked over to him and sat next to him on the bed. The alpha reached out and ran his hand over the side of Seonghwa's face. "How are you feeling today?"

Seonghwa bit back the sarcastic response he wanted to say, knowing it would make this worse for him. "Fine."

"I'm glad to hear that." Lance leaned forward and kissed the omega's cheek. "I'm feeling good too, you want to know why?" He asked as he pushed Seonghwa's knees away from his chest.

Seonghwa gulped and closed his eyes as Lance kissed along his jaw and neck. It was weird, almost like he was trying to be gentle at this moment. Maybe if he concentrated hard enough, he could pretend it was Mingi...

But Lance's voice ruined it. "I have news." He whispered, caressing Seonghwa's chest and letting a finger circle lazily around one of his nipples. "You should be excited."

His hand got lower and started to rub circles on Seonghwa's stomach.

The omega felt his heart stop as he realized what was going on. His lower lip started to tremble as his world crumbled around him. Despair washed over him as he thought about what Mingi would think... He was going to be so angry with him...

Tears rolled down his cheeks when he couldn't hold back the sobs as Lance voiced his worst fears.

"You're pregnant."


	21. 20

"Alright dear, let's see how things are going." Maria said as she helped Yeosang sit down.

The beta groans as he adjusts. He had been experiencing a lot of back pain recently and had voiced his concerns to the midwife, worried about the baby.

He was about two months along and his belly was forming nicely, and he was thankful that he hadn't had too many problems with morning sickness. He had more good days than bad when it came to the nausea.

Maria leaned over him and lifted up his shirt so she could ran her hands over his stomach. A pleasant warmth filled him as she did so. He loved this feeling and he instantly felt calmer.

"Well, baby feels perfectly healthy." She gave him a reassuring smile. "You, not so much." Her tone turned harsh.

Yeosang sighed and ran his hand over his face. "I know."

"Well if you know then you know what you should be doing. Stress is not healthy for you or the baby. Are you making sure to eat properly too?"

"I'm doing the best I can." He said, his voice quivering a little. "It's just so hard sometimes..."

Maria took his hands in hers. "I know dear. But you need to try and relax a little more, ok? Leave the kids to me and Hongjoong."

Yeosang nodded and gave her a grateful smile. He really was trying his best, but he hated no knowing what was going on with their family. The thoughts plagued him day in and day out, wondering if they were ok or where they were now.

Hongjoong did his best to keep him distracted, but Yeosang knew his mate felt the same way.

And that just laid the guilt on even thicker... He felt like he was keeping Hongjoong trapped here, leaving the others one man down. But at the same time he was grateful that he had his mate because he knew he couldn't do this alone.

Yeosang sighed. These were exactly the thoughts that had him so stressed out.

Maria patted his knee and gave him a knowing smile. "Come on, I say we get you situated with a nice warm bath. That should help with your aches and pains."

"That sounds amazing actually." Yeosang said, letting her pull him out of the chair.

As they started to walk down the hall, the phone rang.

Yeosang spun around with wide eyes to the living room. He could hear Hongjoong running to where he kept the cell phone plugged in and started heading in that direction himself.

He and his mate locked eyes as the alpha pressed answer and held the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

Hongjoong instantly let out a strangled cry and fumbled with the phone trying to put it on speaker.

"Hongjoong? Are you still there?" Jongho's voice came from the other end.

"Y-Yes, I'm here. Yeosang and Maria are here too. Are you ok? Where are you? Have you found Seonghwa? Did San and Wooyoung find you?" Hongjoong asked quickly, holding out his hand to pull Yeosang into his chest.

"We are fine. And yes, we are all together. How are the kids?"

"They are both doing ok. I'm not going to sugar coat it, they miss you terribly. But they are handling it as best they can." Hongjoong said, keeping his voice low. "They are in the other room watching a movie right now."

"Good, I think it's best if they don't hear us right now." Jongho sounded tired.

"Is that the rest of your pack, love?" A woman's voice said.

Hongjoong and Yeosang exchanged quick glances as their mouths opened a little.

"Yeah, I'll be right there." Jongho told her quietly, then his voice got louder, indicating he had turned back to the phone. "How are you two doing? And Maria and Kenneth."

"We are fine, dear. We are more worried about you." Maria answered, leaning closer to the phone.

Hongjoong pursed his lips. "Jongho, who are you with?"

"We ran into a beta couple who offered to help us. We are staying at their cabin right now. They were kept prisoner in the same wing as you, Yeosang..." The alpha said hesitantly. "So I think we can trust them. We found the canyon that leads to Ultima, but we had to turn back. It's too heavily guarded according to San."

"So what are you going to do?"

"We called in the cavalry."

Yeosang could tell the younger was smirking just by the tone of his voice. "What do you mean?"

"Mingi just got off the phone with Colonel Gregson."

Hongjoong and Yeosang both gasped. This was both a good thing and a bad thing in their mind. If they needed to call for the extra help, then getting into Ultima really was going to be harder than they hoped it would be. But if the Colonel was willing to help, then maybe they stood a chance.

Jongho took their silence as his cue to continue and kept going. "He agreed to come meet with us to hear out the situation. We were worried he wasn't going to answer or be in charge anymore, but apparently he is. So we gave him our location and we are going to try and work something out."

"That sounds like a really good idea." Hongjoong said, a wide, proud smile crossing his face. "How long until he gets there?"

"Sometime tomorrow or the day after we hope. There's another storm rolling in so we are hoping he is going to miss it."

"How's Mingi?" Yeosang asked quietly."

Jongho was silent for a moment. "He's hanging in there. The longer this gets drawn out the more he's going to stress. Which is understandable."

"Is there anything we can do for you?"

"No, Sangie, you are doing enough by taking care of Theo and Ava. Thank you. I should probably get going though, we are supposed to figure out sleeping arrangements and watches and such."

"Be safe. Thank you," Hongjoong said, sighing as he said the words, "Thank you for calling us. And check in when you can, ok?"

"Will do. Be safe and give the kids a hug for us." Jongho said before ending the call.

Hongjoong set the phone on the counter and pulled Yeosang into a tight hug as a sense of relief washed over them. Their family, most of them, was ok.

"Well, I'll go check on the kids, how about the both of you go and take some time. Hongjoong, honey," Maria raised her eyebrows. "Make sure he relaxes."

The alpha nodded and pulled Yeosang down the hall and into the large master bathroom. Hongjoong turned on the water to the over-sized tub and checked the temperature before pouring in essential oils and bubble bath.

Then he turned around to where Yeosang was slowly taking his clothes off. The beta blushed and smiled at his alpha as he walked over and leaned down to kiss his stomach. Then he started kissing up Yeosang's chest, shoulders, neck, and finally his lips.

Yeosang closed his eyes and hummed a little at the contact, but he pulled away to go shut off the water before the tub got too full. "Are you joining me?"

Hongjoong scurried to get out of his clothes and then got into the tub first, allowing Yeosang to get in and lean against his alpha's chest. Hongjoong surrounded him with his arms and legs, pulling him into a protective embrace.

"This is nice." Yeosang sighed, rubbing his back against his alpha's chest as his settled in. He closed his eyes and tilted his head as Hongjoong placed gentle kisses along his shoulders. "Joong..."

His alpha just smiled into his next kiss. "Yes love?" He asked as he used his legs to spread Yeosang's. His hands ran over the beta's chest, sending a shiver down his spine. He could feel his length starting to harden at the feeling.

"Should... We...?" He gasped and let his head fall back onto Hongjoong's shoulder as the older started to tease his nipples.

"Why not?" Hongjoong whispered before sucking on his ear. "I was told to help you relax."

Yeosang knew he was a goner after that and accepted what was coming with a wide smile. He could feel his mate growing hard behind him to and wiggled his ass a little to let him know he got the message.

"You're playing a dangerous game, love." Hongjoong chuckled before nipping at his mating mark. The beta moaned and arched his back a little.

Hongjoong's hands traveled down Yeosang's chest and rubbed his belly for a second before they drifted to his back and started to rub where he had been having a lot of pain. This caused the beta to groan and lean forward a little to allow him better access.

"Does that feel good?" Hongjoong asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yes baby, this feels amazing."

His mate continued to massage his back for several minutes as they continued to soak in the warm water. It really was helping Yeosang relax. He hadn't felt this calm in a long time.

Once the water started to cool, Hongjoong pulled the drain for the tub and helped Yeosang exit it, then proceeded to towel him dry.

Yeosang watched as Hongjoong's face twisted with concentration, and smiled when his lover stuck the tip of his tongue out of the corner of his mouth while making sure that every inch of him was dry before he dried himself.

Then he was being pulled to their bedroom and Hongjoong laid him down gently while connecting their lips for a deep and sensual kiss. Yeosang brought his hand up and twisted his fingers in Hongjoong's hair, trying to pull him closer.

His alpha brought a hand up to start stroking his member slowly, causing Yeosang to moan into their kiss. He arched his back off the bed as Hongjoong twisted his hand in circles and used his thumb to tease his tip.

Yeosang whimpered and rotated his hips, silently begging for more.

Hongjoong chuckled and moved to grab a bottle of lube he had bought the last time they were in town and squirted some onto his fingers. He reconnected their lips, plunging his tongue into his beta's mouth while circling his entrance and slipping a finger in.

Damn this felt good. Yeosang didn't realize just how much he needed this until his wolf churned within him, loving his alpha's touch.

Soon a second and a third finger had been inserted, stretching him out. Yeosang felt like he was on fire as he panted rapidly while Hongjoong sucked and nipped at his skin.

They both worked hard to keep things down, not wanting anyone to hear what was happening, which meant they also had to keep their wolves in check. Which wasn't easy, but somehow they were managing it.

When Hongjoong felt Yeosang was ready, he withdrew his fingers and poured some lube on his own member, pumping it a couple of times before slowly easing it into Yeosang's entrance.

This was it. This was Yeosang's favorite part, when he was connected with his mate. It made him feel invincible.

And it felt even better when Hongjoong started to rock his hips at a steady pace. Each thrust got a little harder and a little faster. It was perfect.

Yeosang reached up and pulled his mate in to kiss him again, loving the way he tasted as their tongues danced together.

They both inhaled sharply through their noses as they ran their hands over every inch they could reach.

As they both got closer to their peak, Hongjoong snaked his hand down and started pumping Yeosang's length in time with his thrusts.

Now Yeosang was having a hard time holding back his moans, so he was thankful that Hongjoong muffled them a little through their kiss.

Especially when his climax came. He screamed into their kiss and arched off the bed as Hongjoong continued to stroke him through it and rotate his hips in circles as he rode out his own climax.

As it started to fade, Yeosang relaxed into the mattress, feeling like a limp mess.

Hongjoong kissed him a couple more times before pulling back and smiling. "Feeling better?"

Yeosang sighed happily. "Yes. Thank you."

His alpha kissed his forehead and pulled out so he could get them cleaned up before tucking Yeosang into bed.

"Aren't you joining me?" The beta asked, holding onto Hongjoong's hand.

His mate glanced at the door, then chuckled. "I think Maria can handle herself a little longer." He said before slipping into bed behind his beta.

Yeosang smiled as Hongjoong settled in behind him and placed a few kisses on his mating mark.

.

.

.

.

Seonghwa stared down at his hands as they shook in front of him. He had been in panic mode all day after Lance's announcement.

Juno had brought a collection of herbs and pills for him to take to make sure the baby was healthy, which Lance threatened to shove down his throat if he found out Seonghwa wasn't taking them.

Then he was left alone yet again to ponder his thoughts.

He was pregnant.

There was another life growing in his belly.

While he had wanted to feel this again, this wasn't what he wanted...

"Mingi... I'm so sorry..." He whimpered while placing a hand over his stomach. "What is going to happen to us now?"

Seonghwa lifted a hand up to run it over his mating mark and closed his eyes. With his wolf locked away, he didn't get the same thrill from it that he normally would, but it was a least a small comfort he had.

"Mingi..."


	22. 21

Mingi sat facing the front door, tapping his foot impatiently while chewing on his nails. His anxiety was at an all-time high as they waited.

The rest of his pack had resigned to finding things to do to help out Tine and Marylou. Wooyoung helped with meals, Jongho and Yunho worked on fixing a few patches in the roof, and San would do scouting runs.

They were all on edge now that they knew Ultima was involved out here in more ways than one. The two beta females were definitely spooked.

Lance had a silver tongue though, because Tine went to go check with some of the neighbors they were on decent terms with and most of them had pledged to back his cause.

Even though it made no sense because there were no humans out here to create any kind of a threat.

Mingi knew it was Lance's way of trying to build up his army. He wouldn't be surprised if the bastard had some sick, twisted plan to try and bend everyone to his will. Hell, he had watched Mingi's own father do it to his son, and succeed...

The alpha shivered at the memory, or what was left of it. He had worked hard to block out most of his time as a 'willing' member of Alpha Pack.

He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Yunho standing behind him. "How are you holding up?"

Mingi just grunted and went back to staring at the door. If he just kept doing this then he wouldn't have to worry about his anger getting out of control...

Boy was he glad Avayla wasn't here. Even though he missed her terribly, he didn't want his little girl to see him like this. Not until she understood what it was like to fight with her own wolf. And even then... he knew he had a lot more rage in him than most.

"He will be here soon. Come on, come eat something." Yunho tugged at his shoulder gently.

Sighing, Mingi let the beta pull him from his chair. He smiled at the back of his head as Yunho took his hand. Even though he would never be able to admit it out loud, he was grateful that Yunho was here. He seemed to be the only one who could calm him down, and really, Yunho could calm any of them down. Except himself. That was Wooyoung's job.

He let out a little chuckle, causing the beta to turn his head and arch an eyebrow. Mingi just shook his head in response as he sat at the table.

"Alright, let's dig in!" Marylou said happily as she picked up the sandwich in front of her. "Tinee, you make the best food!" She cheered, but it came out muffled due to the food in her mouth.

"LouLou," Tina said, giving her a look and shaking her head at the same time.

It was hard to believe that this happy pair had been in the same fortress as him, and he never knew it. But then again, Mingi had never taken the time to socialize with the captives... He was waiting for Seonghwa to get taken so he could...

No.

Mingi shook his head and focused on eating the lunch in front of him while everyone else chatted comfortably.

A loud buzzing sound started to fill the air and everyone was silenced immediately.

Mingi shoved his chair away from the table and ran to the front door, nearly yanking it off its hinges as he pulled it open.

A helicopter was working on landing in an open space not far from the cabin. It was a tight fit, but Mingi watched with anticipation as it touched down and the blades started to slow.

He ran forward as a man stepped out of the vehicle and turned around. A small smile tugged at his face as he held out his hand and shouted, "Mingi, long time no see!"

Mingi shook it happily and nodded. "Come inside! Everyone is waiting!" He yelled back.

Colonel Gregson turned around and motioned for the pilot to cut the engines before he, and two other men, followed Mingi into the cabin.

Everyone was waiting on the far wall, except for Yunho, who walked forward and greeting the Colonel happily. "Thank you for coming."

"Well, Mingi made it sound urgent and like it could benefit both our causes again."

"It will." The beta said, glancing at Mingi.

"Now I don't believe we've met." The man said, turning to the other five in the room.

Mingi watched as they introduced themselves one by one, and noticed that the Colonel still held no ill-will toward them. The other two, however, had a hard time hiding their disgust once they realized what was going on. Especially when San grew protective over Wooyoung and Tina kept Marylou behind her.

The Colonel wasn't bothered by it though. And honestly, Mingi expected it. Humans could be so narrow-minded sometimes. "Now, what is going on?" The man asked, turning to Mingi.

There was a sense of ease that seemed to fall over both men as they looked at each other. They had been through this before and both sides had proven their worth. It was a special bond of trust they had that Mingi hoped he could count on.

"We have reason to believe that there is someone trying to build another Alpha Pack."

Colonel Gregson paled at his words and his eyes widened. "But I thought the head alpha was killed."

"He was. But now someone else is trying to get it started. He was under my father before, so he knows what needs to be done to get it started. They are tucked away in the mountains, so it's the perfect place to build an army without being noticed." Mingi said, glancing at the others.

San stepped forward and set down a piece of paper that he had drawn a crude map on. He eyed the Hunters nervously and his hands twitched as he started to explain. "There is a canyon just to the west of here. If you follow that, it takes you to their front gates."

The Colonel bent over the piece of paper to examine it and San backed away quickly. He had voice his concerns about working with the hunters, but Mingi, Jongho, and Yunho had all reassured him that things would be fine. Mingi even offered to call up Yeosang, but San didn't want to bother them.

It didn't stop him from making sure he was always between them and Wooyoung, though.

"These aren't going to be like the last ones, either." Yunho added. "They have joined forces with a pack that knows a lot of ancient magic, so there will be shields and protective spells all over the place."

"Plus I want to try and stick to the same arrangement we had last time." Mingi added, his voice getting a little deeper.

Colonel Gregson chuckled. "You don't have to try and intimidate me, Mingi. I have no problem with striking the same deal. Any captives or wolves who try to run will be spared."

"But Sir!" One of the men exclaimed, looking at his leader with shock. "This goes against everything we stand for!"

"Forgive him, he's new." The Colonel said with a sigh before turning to the boy. "You will follow orders, got it? We are still going to be killing plenty of wolves. Mingi and his pack have proven to me in the past that not all of them are mindless and vicious like we were raised to believe. If this is the same situation as last time, which I know you've been told about because it's been added to the training regiment, then there are wolves there that are being held against their will or do not know the darker deeds going on. I will not harm innocent lives. Just like I would expect them to return the same courtesy to us. If you don't like it, then you can leave."

The boy turned bright red and looked down at the floor after the scolding. "Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir." He mumbled.

The Colonel nodded once before turning back to Mingi. "Now, where is the rest of your pack? I believe we rescued your mate last time, where is he?"

The two Hunters flinched at his words and exchanged a disgusted glance. Mingi growled in warning and they both looked at the floor. "He... He has been taken again. As a way to get back at me. And the other two are back home, watching after the kids."

A soft smile touched the man's eyes. "So you had your baby."

"Yes, Yunho had one also. And Yeosang is pregnant as well. That is why he and his mate stayed behind."

"Hongjoong, right? So who is in charge while your head alpha isn't present?"

"Technically me." Jongho said from where he was standing next to San. "Although Mingi and I really share the responsibility, especially in cases like this."

"Good to know, I didn't want to step on anyone's toes. I'd like to go with you to scout the area. That way I know what to expect and what kind of weapons and man power we will need."

San glanced at Mingi nervously. "It's not an easy path. Especially with the snow."

"I'll manage." The Colonel said firmly. "I say we leave as soon as possible."

Mingi nodded at turned to the mated betas. "Are you ok if we come back here when we are done?"

"Of course, loves." Tina said, nodding quickly. "We will keep the place warm for you and have food ready as well."

"Be safe." Marylou said from behind her mate.

"Thank you." Mingi gave them a grateful smile before he and his back followed the Hunters from the house.

As the men walked away, the five of them stripped and shifted, then waited off to the side while the Colonel and his men geared up. They threw on heavy winter coats and grabbed bags of supplies to wear on their backs.

Then they were off.

The journey was slow, since the Hunters couldn't travel as fast as Mingi and the others could. But he did his best to keep his impatience from showing.

The mouth of the canyon loomed before them, taunting them with the fresh powder that covered their path.

Wooyoung took the lead this time, using his light body to get on top of the snow and pack it down for the rest of them while San guided them from behind.

Mingi took his place in the middle so he could be close to the Colonel.

_I've got a bad feeling about this._ Yunho voiced from his place behind Wooyoung. _Something doesn't feel right._

_Just take a deep breath._ Jongho said, whining from behind Mingi. _Nothing about this feels right._

_No... I feel like we are being watched._ Yunho said as they got deeper into the mountains.

When they reached the cave they had stayed in the last time. The beta tried to insist that they stopped to recollect themselves. His nerves were rising and it was making Mingi uncomfortable. _Yunho, you need to calm down. Help Wooyoung clear the snow._

The beta sighed and trotted forward once the ledge was wide enough to allow his to stand by the omega's side.

The trail started to open up to a wide valley, and rising up before them was a tall, stone wall with a large wooden gate.

Mingi growled, hating that Seonghwa was trapped in there.

They fanned out so they could all look at it together. The Colonel shook his head and peered through a pair of binoculars. "It's heavily guarded, that's for sure."

He started rambling on about defenses and the weapons he'd need. Mingi would nod along and both San and Jongho came to form a semicircle as they listened to the brainstorming while the two Hunters kept watch.

Leaving their mates exposed and vulnerable.


	23. 22

Yunho couldn't shake the feeling in his gut as they stood there watching the alphas and Colonel Gregson plan. Wooyoung was pressed into his side for warmth.

The wind started blowing, kicking up a large swirl of snow. The two Hunters turned their backs to it, and in turn, Yunho and Wooyoung.

He didn't mind though, he was tired of getting looks from them.

All three alphas turned their heads to glance at the walls to the west, looking where the Colonel was pointing.

That's when it happened.

Something shot out of the snow and looped itself around both Yunho's and Wooyoung's muzzles. They whined and reared back, trying to paw it off while reaching out to the others.

But it was like a fog fell over him and Yunho realized he couldn't feel the pack link. He cursed and turned to Wooyoung, seeing him struggling as well.

They tried to run forward, but something else looped around their front legs, knocking them onto their sides.

Yunho let out a loud whine, trying to gain the attention of the Hunters, but the wing picked up at the same time, swallowing his voice.

Something grabbed his hind leg and started to drag him through the snow. He flipped around and saw it was a large, black alpha. Yunho tried to kick at him with his other leg, but all it managed to do was flip him so that his nose was shoved in the snow.

He whined again and flailed his bound front legs, trying to pull free. Then he managed to get his head above the snow again and flared his nostrils as he took a few deep breaths.

Glancing to his side, he notices Wooyoung was being dragged by the scruff of his neck by a red wolf. It was the female alpha from before. Her eyes were red as she snarled at Wooyoung, forcing him into submission.

Yunho growled and tried to twist out of his captor's grip, but then he whimpered in pain as the alpha sank his teeth in deeper.

It was like they were expecting them to come... Either that, or they read the situation and took advantage of the fact that the others had been huddled together.

Yunho tried to tilt his head and call out to Jongho as his heart pounded against this chest, but it was no use. He couldn't even see the Hunters anymore as he was dragged further and further away.

The wind picked up again, creating a wall of snow and hiding them from the rest of the world.

.

.

.

.

Jongho cringed when the wind picked up, so he moved closer to San to try and stay warm. He didn't understand how the Colonel wasn't frozen through right now if his own fur couldn't keep him warm.

But then again, Colonel Gregson was a tough man. He was shouting at them over the wind and pointing to the different towers on the wall. "I think that if we can get a bomber in and aim for the towers, we can collapse the wall with minimal damage to the city within. The walls look like they are thick, so the explosion might send a few stones flying inward, but it's a risk I'm willing to take if it gives my men easier access."

Mingi nodded next to him as they all glanced at the wall.

"San, you know the inside of the fortress?" He yelled.

The alpha nodded slowly and shrugged his shoulders.

"A little bit?"

San nodded.

The Colonel smirked a little and turned back to the wall. "If we want, we had try having some of my men to an air drop, and parachute in to try and take them by surprise. It would be a tricky situation, and if it was storming the day we picked we wouldn't be able to do it. But it be effective if we can pull it off."

Mingi huffed and nodded again.

"Can you rally any wolves to your aid again?"

Jongho looked at Mingi. He had almost forgotten that the settlement wolves had come to help them, but that was long after the battle had started. Really it was the betas that they had freed who were strong enough that had helped with the battle. Or at least that's what he heard.

He watched as Mingi shrugged and let out a low whine.

"Maybe talk to Tina and Marylou, see if they have friends." The Colonel said.

"Colonel! Sir!" One of the Hunters yelled.

The four of them looked at where they were standing and Jongho's heart dropped. They were pointing at where Yunho and Wooyoung had been standing moments before.

Had they really been that oblivious?

**_What happened?_** San snarled as he ran at the Hunters. They held their hands up in surrender.

_San! Over here!_ Mingi called.

The three alphas gathered around one spot and noticed that a struggle had taken place. Jongho's nostrils flared as he tried to pick up on a scent, but there was nothing.

**_Damn them and their spells!_** He roared, swiping at the snow and sending it flying. **_And damn us for not paying attention!_**

**_We have to find them._** San said, turning to look away from where they had been standing. **_Jongho, we have to find them. Quickly._** He started to run forward but Mingi grabbed his tail to stop him.

_No! We need to stick to the plan. There's no way we will find them in this storm if their scent is hidden._

San spun around and snapped at him, making Mingi back up a little. **_I will not let them hurt him again! He is in danger!_**

Mingi's eyes were a dark red now as his hackles rose. **_And my mate isn't? We are all in danger right now!_** He snarled and worked to tower over the smaller alpha.

But it didn't work. San had proven time and time again that dominance didn't work on him when he was angry, so he ran forward and lunged for Mingi.

**_Stop!_** Jongho called out. He ran forward to try and stop them, but they were already rolling around in the snow.

Colonel Gregson stood off to the side with his eyes wide while his men held up their guns and aimed for the wolves. Jongho moved to stand between them and shook his head. The Colonel held up his hand, signaling for his men to stop.

Jongho then turned and ran back to the fighting alphas. Mingi had managed to pin San on his back in the snow, but the smaller was still putting up a good fight. Jongho used this to ram into Mingi's side and send him flying. Then he spun around and grabbed onto the back of San's neck to hold him in place. **_Stop now! This isn't going to help any of our mates!_**

Both alphas froze under the command of the second-in-command for their pack.

**_We need to stop fighting! We are all worried about what is going on! And this is getting us nowhere._ **

Mingi bowed his head and Jongho felt San go lax in his grip, so he let go. _Jongho... We need to hurry. They could kill Wooyoung if they find out who he is..._

_What are you talking about?_

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.

.

.

"There you go, let it all out." Lance said as he sat with Seonghwa in the bathroom.

The omega was hit hard with morning sickness today, although it was a blessing in disguise because it hit right when Lance was about to force himself on Seonghwa again.

Now the alpha was sitting on the edge of the tub and rubbing Seonghwa's back gently. The motion made his skin crawl and he wanted nothing more than to shove the disgusting hand away from him.

But he was too weak right now and too focused on the churning of his stomach. Now he knew what Yunho went through with his sickness. It was awful...

Juno appeared at one point with cold towels that Lance would use to dab Seonghwa's forehead. He didn't admit it out loud, but it actually felt really nice against his clammy skin. He couldn't help but let out a soft sigh when one was placed on the back of his neck and shoulders.

When his wave of nausea finally seemed to pass, Lance helped Seonghwa back to bed and got him situated so he could sit up. Then he handed him a glass of water. "Just sip it until you know your stomach has settled."

Fighting back the sarcastic response on his tongue, Seonghwa did as he asked.

"Good boy. Now once you get to feeling better we will start going for walks to keep everything circulating properly. You will not speak to anyone unless given permission, just as no one will speak to you. As long as you continue to behave, I will continue to give you more freedom."

Seonghwa glared at him for a brief moment, but then nodded his head and looked down at the bed. Is this what he could look forward to for the rest of his life? Being Lance's pet, only good for having his children?

He hoped not...

A knock on their door captured their attention.

"What?" Lance called.

"It's Freya, Sir." A muffled female's voice said from the other side. Seonghwa chewed on the inside of his cheek. It sounded so familiar... Where had he heard that voice before?

Lance hurried to the door and opened it to stick his head out.

"We got them." She said, a sinister tone to her voice.

"Excellent." The alpha turned back to look at Seonghwa. "Rest up. I'll be back to check on you in a bit." He said before slipping out and slamming the door.

Seonghwa stared after him with wide eyes. Who did they get?

His heart started to race at all of the implications those words could mean.

.

.

.

.

Wooyoung opened his eyes slowly and groaned in pain. He instantly knew he was back in his human form, and that his hands were tied above his head. He also felt the horrible sensation of a collar around his neck.

He blinked several times and looked around. He was standing against a stone wall with his legs spread apart, his ankles and wrists chained to the wall.

Yunho was next to him, his head hanging forward as his limp body strained against his chains.

"Yunho..." He hissed, trying to get the beta's attention. "Yunho!"

His friend jerked and lifted his head a little as he slowly came back to consciousness. He let out a little moan while looking around. It was obvious he was still dazed.

"Yunho..." Wooyoung said, feeling his voice falter.

The beta started struggling as soon as he heard Wooyoung's voice. "Wooyoung! Are you ok?" He groaned as he tried to free himself.

"S-Stop... You'll only hurt yourself." The omega whispered.

"Where are we?"

"I have a feeling we are inside Ultima... Where else would they take us?"

Yunho swore and pulled at his chains again. "We've got to get out of here. I don't think the others know what happened to us. Damn these collars!" He roared.

Wooyoung had tears running down his cheeks. "Yunho... Please stop..." He begged, even though he too had started to test his bonds.

Then the door opened and two people walked in who made their hearts stop. Wooyoung could feel all the color drain from his face.

How was this even possible? How could they be here?

And what did this mean for him?

His stomach churned and he felt like he could be sick at any moment as memories from his past flooded the front of his mind.

"No..." He whispered.

"Well, well. I'd say we got quite lucky today. Didn't we Freya?" The male said, staring back at them with eerily familiar eyes, except they were much, much colder than the ones he was used to looking at.

"Oh yes, Silas my love, we did. And they are all ours to play with. That is, until we get our real prize." She said, walking over to Wooyoung and running a long finger down his jaw and neck, tracing the collar, making him whimper and turn his head away. "And you're going to help us."


	24. 23

San sighed and laid down in the snow. _I think Wooyoung might not be from Primera. I was going through history books and noticed some similarities with him and the ancient leaders._

Jongho and Mingi both blinked a couple of times, waiting for him to continue.

_I think Wooyoung may actually be a descendant from Ultima's ancient pack leaders. They were supposedly all killed, but I found a family tree. Ultima used to be ruled by omegas._

_Stop._ Mingi said suddenly. _This is too much for right now, and the Colonel deserves to hear this too. Let's get back to the cabin and we can discuss this._

Everyone nodded and motioned for the Hunters to follow them.

As much as Jongho hated to leave Yunho and Wooyoung behind, he knew it was the right thing to do right now. They had a game plan when it came to attacking Ultima, so they had a start at least. The Colonel would call in his men and supplies and they would see if they could gather any more wolves to their side.

Tina and Marylou were waiting for them, and as expected, they started to freak out when they realized Wooyoung and Yunho were missing.

"We are going to get them back." Jongho said, trying to calm them down. It was hard to do since he was trying to keep himself calm as well, but he had to take his role as acting head alpha seriously if he was going to keep the other two under control.

Just like when Hongjoong lost his mating bond at the same time he did when they were in the cave... Jongho knew he had to push his anger and feeling aside and do what was best for his pack.

"What can we do to help?" Tina asked, her eyes flashing blue.

Mingi sighed as he sat down, wrapping a blanket around himself. "We don't know. San has some explaining to do." He said, glaring at the small alpha.

Colonel Gregson pulled up a chair as well, his men sitting off to the side.

"I think Wooyoung could be in danger. When we were there before, I found signs that led to him possibly being a descendant of one of the ancient pack leaders."

Marylou gasped and slapped a hand to her mouth.

"In reading up on their history, Ultima used to be ruled by omegas. They were viewed as the best because of their ability to bare pups and their even nature meant they could be a peaceful pack. It's obviously something that isn't practiced anymore, but they are a pack that respects traditions. That much I was able to tell. If the elders discover who he is, I'm worried they will try to kill him so the rest of the pack doesn't figure it out and try to overthrow the elders..."

Jongho was stunned. There was no way this could be true. Yunho had always said that he and Wooyoung came from the same pack. They were from Primera. "How can you be sure?"

"The book talked about how the omegas of Ultima were stronger than others, especially the leaders. They were more willing to fight and could stand up for themselves against the dominance of alphas easier than normal omegas. They also had stronger wills. There were a lot of people with 'Woo' in their name too..." San bowed his head and stared at the floor.

Jongho sat down slowly as he thought of all the times Wooyoung had tried to step up on his own... That first attack with the alphas, he had gone to save Yunho even though he had gotten himself injured. Then they were mated while he was mated with Yunho. He survived losing two mating bonds, which always shocked everyone. And he managed to fight against Alistar's dominance and kill him.

Sure Wooyoung would submit to an alpha's dominance still... But that could be because he was raised to believe he was a normal omega? He always seemed to come through when the situation called for it most. Plus he had snarled at Yunho back home when Yunho was about to attack Mingi...

He groaned and started to rub his head.

"You're connecting the dots now too, aren't you..." San said softly. His voice was so small and weak, it made Jongho's heart break a little.

"Yeah, I think I am. So what does all this mean?"

What little color that was left in San's face vanished. "If they find out who he is, I'm worried they will kill him on the spot. If the regular pack members find out, they may protect him, but then want him to rule... That's why I haven't told him. I'm scared of what he will say. And if I'm being honest... Part of me is scared of him leaving to 'take up his rightful place'." His lower lip started to tremble and San buried his face in his hands.

Both Mingi and Jongho were at his side in a second, with Jongho pulling San into a tight hug. The small alpha cried into his shoulder for several minutes while Mingi rubbed his back gently. "I don't think he would ever leave. Plus it's not like you wouldn't go with him." Jongho said, feeling his own heart crack again at the thought of being left behind.

"You guys just got back to us." Mingi said, pressing his forehead to San's shoulder.

"But wh-what if-f they don't g-give him a ch-choice?" San said, hiccupping a little.

"Then he wouldn't be a true leader. If he was then they would respect his decision." Colonel Gregson said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "It sounds like you have a close bond with him, so it makes sense to be scared. But you don't even know for sure if this is true, right?"

San just made a small sounded and nodded.

"So I would hope for the best and plan for the worst. If this is true, then you're right, he could be in danger. But that just gives us more of a reason to try and hurry. I'm going to make some calls." The Colonel said before stepping outside with his men.

San sniffed and pressed his head into Jongho's chest. The younger closed his eyes and pressed his lips to the top of San's head as he continued to hiccup a little. He exchanged a worried glance with Mingi, who let out a slow breath.

"Here love." Tina said, crouching next to San's chair. She held out a glass of water, which he took with a shaking hand and sipped it. "We are going to figure this out. You should try and get some rest. I'm going to visit some of our neighbors with Marylou and tell them what's going on, ok?" She said, looking at Jongho.

"That sounds like a good idea. Even if they don't want to join, they should know what's coming and be given the opportunity to leave." Jongho nodded at her. "May I use your phone again? I'd like to update Hongjoong."

"Of course." Tina placed a hand on his shoulder before going back to where Marylou was standing in the corner.

"I'm going to go call Hongjoong. Stay with Mingi and try to get some rest. We are going to figure this out." Jongho whispered to San, who nodded into his chest, then pulled back to wipe his eyes.

Mingi then took San over to the couch and had him lay down, with his head in his lap, and nodded to Jongho.

The youngest alpha walked into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed before dialing home, not sure how his alpha was going to take things.

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Hongjoong blinked several times as he tried to process all the information he was just given. Wooyoung could be from Ultima? This didn't make any sense.

Maria was pacing next to him, muttering under her breath as she tried to work out the information as well. Jongho had asked for them all to be present while he explained.

Yeosang had ducked out shortly after saying he needed to check on the kids, but Hongjoong knew it was because he was emotional and didn't want anyone to see or hear his breakdown about his worrying for the others.

"Hongjoong?" Jongho said through the phone.

"Sorry. I'm here. We are... processing."

"Me too."

"How is San?" Hongjoong glanced up as Yeosang reentered the room with red puffy eyes.

Jongho let out a long sigh. "Not good. It's gotten into his head a little that Wooyoung would either be forced to, or want to leave if he really is from Ultima. What if he finds his real family?"

"B-But we're his real f-family." Yeosang choked out.

"There's a chance San could be right though." Maria said, finally coming back to join them. "There was always a rumor of a runaway omega from many years ago, from before I was even born, but my mother would tell me about it because she hoped the omega rulers would come back one day. Something about her beta being abusive because he was from a different pack, they had tried to form an alliance..." Her eyes widened. "He was from Primera... Yes I remember it now. The head omega at that time wanted to form an alliance with Primera, so he sent an invitation to their elders to send their best suitors to mate with one of his daughters."

She paused as she pulled up a chair to sit on. "She had been accepting of the arrangement, as most of the omegas had arranged marriages, so that wasn't an issue. They ended up choosing a young beta who seemed perfect on paper and in person. He was strong, one of the warriors at the time, and very charismatic. Or so the story goes. Anyway, they were mated and she got pregnant. Then apparently things got worse. He became controlling, and rumor has it he never let her leave the room. Supposedly she ran away the first chance she was taken. I wonder if maybe she was taken instead..."

"And was brought to Primera." Jongho said, letting out a muffled curse.

"Do you think they know?" Hongjoong asked, reaching out to take Yeosang's hand, trying to comfort him.

"I doubt it." Jongho said, a slight pout to his tone. "I know they were awful to him, but it sounds like they were awful to all omegas. Plus I feel like they would have said something while he was prisoner last time."

"Then we need to keep it that way. Is there anything we can do to help you?"

"Not that I can think of right now. Just keep taking care of the kids, and try not to stress too much, especially if we don't touch base for a while. I imagine once we attack things are going to be heat up quickly."

"We understand. Just be safe please. And bring everyone home." Hongjoong whispered. His heart felt nonexistent as he stared at the phone. He did his best to push aside any thoughts of not seeing his family again. He needed to stay strong for everyone's sake.

"I will. I don't know if anyone will be staying here, but you have this number if you need to try and get a hold of us." Jongho added before they said their final goodbyes.

Once Hongjoong hung up the phone, he pulled Yeosang into his arms and kissed the top of his head several times.

Maria was still sitting next to them, playing with her fingers. "If he really is... I don't know what will happen if Ultima finds out. San's fears are valid." She whispered.

"What do you mean?" Hongjoong glanced at her as he rubbed Yeosang's back.

"I grew up with whispered stories filled with hope that one day the omegas would rule again. The omega leaders were stronger than everyone else spirit wise, so alphas had a hard time controlling them. They were apparently gentle rulers and helped keep Ultima at peace for centuries. Many of the common folk want them to rule again... If they figure out who Wooyoung is, or even potentially is. They might not let him leave."


	25. 24

The room was so cold Wooyoung could feel every goosebump on his skin. The metal of his chains bit him every chance they got, and the collar felt like it tightened itself every so often.

Especially when he would look at where Yunho was bound to the wall as well. His head hung a limp as the collar would allow and bruises covered his entire body.

Although Wooyoung was sure he looked just as bad...

His head snapped to the side when the door opened and his body started shaking with anticipation on what was to come.

He and Yunho had been beaten several times a day for the past two days.

And what made it worse was the faces he had to look at while it all happened. It tore him apart and would haunt him almost as much as what he went through six years ago.

The eyes and face of his mate stared back at him with an evil smirk as Silas and Freya entered the room.

Wooyoung had hoped they had died in the battle with Alpha Pack, but they must have escaped somehow along with Lance.

"Good morning." Silas said, walking over with his hands clasped behind his back. "Are we going to cooperate today?" He reached up to gently grab Wooyoung's chin.

The omega just stared back at him, willing his body to stay calm. He would not give in. Not when it meant putting the others at risk.

"Where are the others hiding?" He asked, his eyes flashing red.

Wooyoung closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to fight it.

" **Where. Is. San?** " Silas asked. Wooyoung whimpered at his tone and felt his neck shift to the side, but he managed swallow his words as his heart pounded against his chest.

Then he screamed as a whip tore at the skin on his chest, leaving a long, thin cut. Freya smirked as she pulled her arm back, ready to strike again.

"You are trying my patience Wooyoung." Silas said, running his hand through his hair. Just like San... "I can't kill you right now, but that doesn't mean I won't beat you within an inch of your life." He growled. Then he tilted his head to glance at Yunho. "But..." A wicked smile crossed his face.

Wooyoung's heart dropped as Silas walked over to the beta and slapped him. Yunho cried out and snapped awake, his eyes wide with fear as he tried to process what just happened.

Silas stepped forward and fisted his hair, yanking his head back, making Yunho hiss in pain. "That won't stop me from killing him." He pulled out a knife and pressed it to the base Yunho's chin where it met his neck.

"No!" Wooyoung yelled as he pulled against his chain.

Freya swung his arm forward and the omega screamed again as the leather sliced his skin. Twice. "Tell us where he is!"

" **Tell us. Or he dies.** " Silas growled and Yunho whimpered as the knife pierced the skin of his neck.

"O-Ok!" Wooyoung cried out as the whip landed on his stomach three times. Freya's lips were curled in a snarl and the blood-lust was evident in her eyes. "I know where they might be..."

"Y-Youngie..." Yunho whimpered but was silenced by Silas immediately.

"No games, boy." Silas gave him a dark look. One Wooyoung had only seen on San a handful of times, and it terrified him.

He shook his head quickly. "N-No games... Just please, please don't hurt Yunho anymore..." He begged.

The two alphas glanced at each other and Silas nodded. Freya grumbled under her breath as she coiled the whip and set it aside while her mate worked on unchaining Yunho from the wall. His hands were immediately bound behind his back again and a gag stuffed in his mouth. But he didn't put up a fight. His limbs trembled as he was pushed around.

"P-Please... I'll do whatever you want, just please don't hurt him."

A knock on the door silenced them all and Freya walked over to answer it. "Oh, Sir! Come in." She said, bowing her head in respect.

Wooyoung's heart started pounding again when Lance walked in, wearing some sort of military uniform. "Silas. Freya. I see you are enjoying your new toys." He said with a slight smirk.

"Yes Sir, this one was just about to take us to the others. We were going to decide what to do with this one." Silas said, pointing his knife at where Yunho was curled up on the floor.

Lance glanced down at him and tilted his head. "Take him to my room."

Silas and Freya exchanged a quickly glance and bent to pick the beta up.

"No wait. I'll take him. You deal with shrimpy over there. My scouts tell me that there is a large gathering of humans east of here. I have a feeling that's where the others are. Don't go anywhere. Let them come to us."

"San will still be ours through, right?" Silas asked, stepping forward.

"Yes, yes. You will get your revenge. Just so long as you protect my prize. We need to make sure he is taken care of, as he will be giving me my first pup in nine months." Lance said slowly, turning to look at Wooyoung as he said it.

"No..." He gasped. "No! You bastard!" he started pulling at his bonds as his anger rose.

Freya jumped into action and dove for the whip, twirling it in once smooth motion in the omega's direction. This time it landed on his face.

Wooyoung screamed as his right cheek was torn open. There must be something sharp tied to the end of the whip...

Yunho whimpered into his gag as Silas stepped on his head to keep him on the floor.

Lance just laughed. "Pathetic. Just as Mingi told me you'd be. Too bad you can't be added to our breeding program. You'd make some pretty pups." He said, walking forward and grabbing Wooyoung's chin. "But no, you're worthless to me. That's why I gave you to my two most trusted pack members." He turned his head and glanced at Yunho. "But him. Once I'm done with him, he will be given to an alpha."

Yunho whimpered again and tried to pull away from Silas' foot, but that just caused the alpha to press harder.

"Stop!" Wooyoung shouted. "Please!"

All three alphas chuckled.

"I suggest you get him ready. I feel like his alpha will be coming soon to rescue him. We will keep our defenses here and let them come to us. Then once you get San, make sure you give this one to Percival. He and Reece have something planned for him, and I don't want to get on the bad side of two head alphas." Lance said as he walked over to Yunho.

He crouched over and pulled him up by his collar. "Let's go." Lance yanked Yunho over so they were face to face. " **You will behave. You will not try to escape. Any funny business and you will pay. Got it?** " Lance said, his dominance filling the room.

Wooyoung found himself baring his neck as he watched Yunho's knees go weak. The beta nodded and walked forward when Lance led him away without giving him the chance to say goodbye.

"I suppose we should get you cleaned up and presentable. Can't have San going psycho on us right from the beginning." Silas sighed as he ran forward and dragged a finger over Wooyoung's chest. "Although my darling mate does know how to make quite the masterpiece."

Wooyoung shivered at his touch and closed his eyes. "I can't wait for him to kill you. Just like he killed Caius and Yunho killed Jasper." He said, keeping his voice low. "You're biggest mistake was doubting San and leaving him behind. He is more of an alpha than either of you two combined."

The pair watched him with an amused look in their eyes as he spoke. "Oh my dear boy. You just earned yourself so much more pain." Silas sneered as he worked on unchaining Wooyoung.

He let the omega drop onto the hard floor, his weak arms and legs unable to support his weight. Wooyoung yelped at the impact, then screamed as Silas grabbed his hair and started to drag him from the room.

.

.

.

.

Seonghwa hummed quietly to himself as he trailed a single finger over his stomach. He was still having a hard time fully accepting that he was pregnant, even though the morning sickness was an obvious sign.

He spent countless hours trying to do the math... It didn't seem right, but he honestly didn't know how many days he had been stuck here. His room didn't have any windows and even though Juno came in with three meals a day, sometimes he would have eggs twice a day.

It was probably Lance's way of trying to confuse him.

Plus Seonghwa spent most of his time just sleeping. Boredom does that to a person.

"Well, baby, what are we going to do?" He asked. "I promise you one thing, no matter what he says, that man will never be a daddy to you. He may be your father... But that's it. There is so much more that goes into being a dad. As long as you have me, I promise I will protect you."

The lock clicked on the door and Seonghwa sat up with the familiar rustle of this chain.

Then he jumped off the bed and tried to run forward but was yanked back by the ankle. "Yunho!" He choked out, covering his mouth with a hand.

He watched as Yunho was dragged in by his collar, bound and gagged, by Lance. "Hello my dear, I've decided to give you a little treat today. Don't test my patience. Either of you. But you have been so good for me, and I told you I would take care of you."

The alpha shoved Yunho to the floor and walked over to Seonghwa, gently grabbing his face and pulling him close. Seonghwa had to work to fight back the whimper that threatened to come lose as Lance slipped his tongue into his mouth.

This part he didn't care about anymore, but he didn't like that Yunho was watching him kiss another man... He felt so disgusting.

Lance ran a hand down his back and gently rubbed his ass. "I'll be back to finish this later." He whispered against Seonghwa's lips, giving him another short kiss before turning and yanking Yunho off the floor and throwing him on the bed. "You know my rules." He warned before leaving the room.

As soon as the door closed, Seonghwa scrambled onto the bed and pulled Yunho's head into his lap. He pulled the gag out of the beta's mouth as tears started to roll down his cheek. "Y-Y-Yunho... Wh-What did they d-do to you?"

"You're here..." The taller answered, giving him a pained smile. "I hoped you wouldn't be... We hoped you would be somewhere else... Although we don't even know where we are."

Seonghwa visibly paled. "We?"

Yunho nodded and groaned. The older ran a gentle hand over his bare chest to try and ease some of the pain from the bruises. At least he had pants on, unlike the omega, although he was used to it by now. "W-Wooyoung..."

Swearing, Seonghwa leaned forward to connect their foreheads. "What happened?"

"We were outside the front gate of Ultima. Mingi called Colonel Gregson and we were plotting how to get you out." Yunho said softly, closing his eyes as Seonghwa ran his hand through his hair. The older's heart tightened at the mention of his mate, but stayed quiet. "I have a feeling magic was involved, because the others never noticed Wooyoung and I being taken. The link was gone and the snow was blowing everywhere. It all happened so fast... And... It was San's parents."

"They survived too?"

"I guess so... They've been trying for... I don't know how long, to get us to tell them where they others are hiding. They want San."

Seonghwa closed his eyes. Things were getting even worse. But at least he knew now that Mingi was looking for him.

"You look ok though." Yunho stated, keeping his eyes closed.

"Yeah, I'm... Ok. Yunho..." The beta opened his eyes and looked at Seonghwa. "I'm... I'm pregnant." The tears came back as Yunho's forehead creased.

"It sounds like I will be soon too..." He whispered in response.

As they sat there in silence, an acceptance fell over them. They both knew that Yunho's fertility rate must be high if he was able to get pregnant with Jongho after one time. The chances of that happening again with another alpha were pretty high.

Seonghwa bit his lip as he continued to rub the younger's hair. He wished he could untie him so he could get the hug he craved, but he knew not to test his luck with Lance. Not if he wanted to be able to walk later today.

So he resigned to trying to comfort Yunho, rocking him gently back and forth. His other hand traveled up and down his arm, stomach and chest. He bent forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead before he started to hum, trying to sooth both their souls.

Yes, he would enjoy this time and allow a small touch of happiness to fill him because for now, he wasn't alone.


	26. 25

San paced back and forth in front of the cabin as he waited for Colonel Gregson to finish going over the plan with his troops. It had been three days since their mates were taken and he was growing restless.

He had taken to shifting and taking long runs around the perimeter of the cabin just to get some of his energy out. But it never truly helped.

Every second he was away from Wooyoung and couldn't protect him was another second that Ultima could discover who he was.

Maria had asked to speak with him last night when Jongho called Hongjoong to give him an update. She asked him several questions about Wooyoung's past and made a few more connections that made it almost impossible to deny that he was from the ancient line of Omega rulers.

The biggest one being the fact that he mated with Jongho at the same time as Yunho. Apparently, because of how peaceful the omegas were at the time, it was common for multiple mating bonds to be formed within the leaders of the pack. Many times between an omega, alpha, and beta to represent all three groups.

San growled and sent a rock flying with his paw. All this time everyone always commented on 'how special' Wooyoung was, or 'how impressive' he was, or 'how he continued to surprise them'. Little did he know it all had a reason behind it.

And Yunho obviously knew nothing about it. He had always said they came from the same pack, which would make sense if Wooyoung's ancestor was forced to be in the pack by her mate.

The alpha snarled again as he started to take short, shallow breaths. A few of the Hunters glanced over at him and started to walk away.

Good, they should be scared. He was not in a position that he should be messed with right now. He wouldn't hesitate to rip someone's throat out if he needed to.

_San, I can feel your stress inside the house_. Jongho said.

The older looked up to see Jongho watching him from the window. _So?_

_So... You need to try and calm down. Taking your anger out on rocks isn't going to help anything right now_. Jongho gave him a small smirk.

San just growled again and flopped down into the snow with his back to the window. He let out a deep sigh and watched his frozen breath float away from him.

_San_... Jongho said, suddenly appearing in front of him in wolf form.

_I know. I'm trying_. He let out a low whine and covered his muzzle with his paw. _How are you able to stay so calm and collected?_

Jongho sat in front of him and bowed his head, his ears falling back slightly. _Because I need to be... For you, and for Mingi. It's part of being a leader I've discovered. Someone always needs to keep a calm head, otherwise nothing will be accomplished._

San winced at his words and cringed at the thought of what Jongho must be going through right now. His mate was gone. And they all knew he had never truly stopped loving Wooyoung. So he was missing two pieces of himself... _I'm sorry I've been so selfish..._

_Now don't go down that road. Nobody said anything about being selfish. We all have a hard time controlling our emotions sometimes. Believe me, I'm struggling with it right now. But I just keep telling myself that I will get my moment. Once I find out who took them, they will be sorry._ Jongho said with a snarl, baring his long teeth.

San chuckled and pushed himself up so he could rub his body against the other alpha. It was a comfort they had come to rely on a long time ago. Both alphas hummed and closed their eyes before turning back to the house.

Mingi opened the door for them. "Might as well stay in those forms. We are getting ready to leave." He said quietly.

Colonel Gregson was currently answering any questions his men had, which wasn't much. He had already gone over the speech of who to kill and who to let go, so there shouldn't be any issues there. As he finished, he turned to Mingi. "Ready?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Alright, we will follow San up the path again and spread out along the end of that canyon. Then I will call out to our bombers and we will mark the location."

Mingi nodded in approval and walked out front. Jongho and San followed close behind.

Several wolves were gathered, all alert and ready to fight. Marylou and Tina had done a great job recruiting for the attack. They had managed to gather about twenty of their neighbors, even converting some from Lance's side to theirs.

It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.

They had all accepted that communication was going to be hard. Most of the fighters were in small groups of two or three, so a lot of what was going on was communicated before-hand.

Mingi took a deep breath and looked at them with a small smile on their face. "Ok, one final review before the one giving orders will be Colonel Gregson. We are going to head up the canyon and wait for his men to bomb the wall. It's going to be chaos. Not that you guys would, but don't attack anyone who doesn't attack you. His men have agreed to do the same. Free any prisoners you might find. I wouldn't be surprised if they have started a breeding program again..."

Several of the wolves hunched over and growled at the thought, and a lot of the Hunters started whispering behind them.

San snapped his head around and growled in warning, shutting them up immediately.

"This isn't going to be easy, so I want to thank you for joining us. If we can take down Lance, hopefully we won't have to deal with something like this for a long time. If you have any questions, now is the time to shift and ask, otherwise we will get going."

None of the wolves shifted, but they did stand up and bow their heads to the three alphas in front of them.

San looked at them in surprise and exchanged a quick glance with Jongho. Even in wolf form he looked embarrassed.

Mingi nodded once before ducking around the corner to strip and shift. When he came back, he stood tall and proud, but stopped on Jongho's other side for the young alpha was still the one in charge of their group of three.

_Are we ready?_ He asked, looking first at Mingi, then at San.

_Yes._ They answered at the same time.

"Alright, load up! Grab as much as you can carry! We will leave the trucks at the entrance of the canyon!" Colonel Gregson called from behind them.

_We'll follow you._ Jongho blinked while studying San.

Taking a deep breath, San stepped forward and pressed his nose into each of their necks before turning around and taking off at an easy lope. He could feel the others behind him, although he knew that Mingi would be at the back of the pack and Jongho would find a place somewhere in the middle.

The engines of the cars roared to life and a couple helicopters lifted off the ground.

A shiver ran down San's spine as he focused on the task ahead. Thankfully it had stopped snowing a couple days ago, so they didn't need to worry about too much fresh powder. He prayed the good weather would keep up.

The trip was faster than normal, even though it still took several hours to navigate the winding path. They couldn't go any faster than a walk, otherwise they would risk falling to their death.

But once they reached the far end, that's when tensions started to rise.

San had no doubt Ultima would know they were coming. They probably knew they were at the entrance of the canyon right now.

He glanced to the side where Mingi was standing at attention next to the Colonel, his red eyes locked on the front gates.

Jongho came to stand next to San and leaned into his shoulder. _This seems too easy..._

_I agree. We need to be prepared for anything._ And he thought he was.

Until the gate started to open.

.

.

.

.

Yunho was awoken abruptly again by a soft tap on his cheek. At least this time wasn't a slap, but he still jumped and looked around in a panic.

"Shh, it's just me." Seonghwa whispered into his ear while rubbing his head. "I think Juno is outside.

"Who's Juno?" Yunho rasped as he tried to sit up. It was difficult with his arms tied behind his back though, so Seonghwa had to give him a slight push.

"She's the midwife here. And my silent babysitter." Seonghwa grumbled as the lock clicked.

Yunho groaned as he fell back into the omega's chest, but let out a small sigh when Seonghwa held him tight. It was nice to have a connection with someone again, even in this circumstance.

An older beta woman walked in carrying a tray of food. She set it on the table next to the bed and proceeded to start checking Seonghwa's vitals. Yunho tried to shift to get out of the way, but Seonghwa tightened his grip. When the beta glanced up, he noticed the older was glaring at the woman, so this must be a small act of defiance.

She didn't seem to care though and just worked around Yunho. He hoped that maybe she would untie him and give him a check-up too, but he soon realized this was just to make sure Seonghwa was staying healthy through the pregnancy.

Once she was finished, she left without another word.

Seonghwa pulled the table over and Yunho noticed two plates on it. The omega continued to rub his head gently. "I'm sorry, I wish I could untie you, but Lance could come in at any second and I don't want to risk pissing him off..."

"No I get it." Yunho sighed, closing his eyes as he rested his head against Seonghwa's chest. "I'm sure the more we behave the longer I can stay here as well."

"I don't get it." Seonghwa said as he brought a piece of toast up to Yunho's lips, letting him take a bite. "It's like he's trying to butter me up or something.

Yunho swallowed quickly and looked up at him. "Maybe he's trying to get you to willingly come to him."

The older snorted as he continued to feed Yunho. "Yeah that will never happen. He doesn't know who he's messing with."

They both chuckled and continued their breakfast in a peaceful silence. Yunho tried to not let the fact that Seonghwa had to feed him the entire time get to him. It was slightly embarrassing.

But as the meal ended, the knowledge that they could be ripped apart at any time loomed over them.

Seonghwa wrapped both his arms tightly around Yunho and held him close again.

"What do you think Mingi is going to do?" The younger whispered after several minutes.

"I don't know. It won't be pretty, that's for sure... but... I fear he will try to kill the baby."

"I can't really blame him."

Seonghwa sighed. "No, I can't either. But it's not the baby's fault who its father is. No matter what happens, I'll do what I can to try and still take care of it. To the best of my ability... I try not to think about what Lance's plans are though. I worry he won't let me see the baby at all after..."

Yunho tilted his head back again. "You can't think about that right now. We don't know what's going to happen. Mingi could be outside the wall right now, waiting to get us out of here."

"That's true." Seonghwa smiled and pressed his lips to Yunho's forehead. "At least I hope it is."

Then the door burst open and Lance came marching in, followed by Silas. "You are to stay here." He growled while he moved to grab Yunho's collar.

"No!" Seonghwa cried out, batting his hand away. "Please don't take him. Please, I beg you Lance. I've done everything you've asked."

The alpha growled and glared down at Yunho, who had rolled into a tight ball in Seonghwa's arms. "Fine! I don't have time for this. No funny business!"

He looked stressed. His eyes were red and his hair was messed up. What was going on?

"Sir, you need to stay calm. There is no way they will get inside. The magic is too strong." Silas said, eyeing the other alpha warily. "Plus Freya is already in place."

Yunho sat up at those words. "What are you talking about? What did you do to Wooyoung?"

All this did was earn him a smirk.

"Fine." Lance sighed, closing his eyes and taking a deep. "You're right. Make sure they stay here. Chain them up more if you have to. He is your number one priority, got it?" He snapped, pointing his finger at Seonghwa.

"Of course, Sir." Silas bowed his head. "And the other one will be taken to Reece as soon as we have San."

Lance nodded and eyes Seonghwa once before storming from the room.

"What are you going to do to Wooyoung?" Yunho yelled again, trying to move forward so he could run at Silas, partially forgetting his arms were bound.

The alpha just sneered at him before walked out the door and closing it.

"Get back here you bastard!" He shouted as tears ran down his flushed cheeks.

Seonghwa pulled him back and held him close, whispering soft words of comfort into his ear that he didn't fully absorb.

What on earth was happening that has them all on edge? Could the others really be outside?

Both he and Seonghwa hoped so as they waited in their isolation.


	27. 26

Jongho watched in horror as the front gate to Ultima was opened and two people walked out. He felt San's breath get quicker and harder next to him.

The first one was Wooyoung. He had his arms bound behind his head so his elbows were sticking out straight. He was also shirtless, showing off his upper torso that was covered in long cuts.

Behind him was someone all three of them recognized.

San's mother.

The older alpha snarled and started to step forward, but Jongho snapped his jaws at him. _No! This is obviously a trap._ He said, even though he could hear his own voice cracking.

Wooyoung's lips were already blue.

"Bombers on my mark." Colonel Gregson said from their left.

San spun and snarled at him, trying to tell him to stop. Mingi froze and turned to the Colonel as well.

"All I want is my boy!" Freya called out as she forced Wooyoung to kneel in the snow. She pressed a knife to his throat and yanked his head back. "And for you to leave!"

Jongho let out a whine as the wolves behind him grew restless.

When she didn't get an answer, she dragged the knife over Wooyoung chest, adding another cut to his chest. Everyone winced as Wooyoung screamed in pain.

"Target the outer edges." Colonel Gregson spoke softly into his radio.

Mingi let out a low whine and stomped a foot on the ground.

The Hunter just looked at him and nodded once. "Avoid the center gate, we have an innocent there."

Jongho let out a little sigh while looking back at the couple.

Freya was whispering in Wooyoung's ear and he whimpered before shaking his head. "No!" He cried out.

"Fool!" She shouted, backhanding him so he fell on his side in the snow. "You better come get your boy, Sannie." Freya said, exaggerating the sweetness of her voice. "Before I kill him!"

San roared and ran forward, Jongho close on his heels.

"No! Don't! Mingi get them back!" The Colonel yelled.

Jongho could hear them calling to him, but he was so enraged now as he watched Freya position her knife over a shivering Wooyoung that he lost control. Just like he knew San had.

But as he got closer, he felt two pairs of teeth grab onto his legs, halting his progression and sending him forward onto his stomach. He growled and whipped around to see Marylou and Tina holding onto him.

Mingi ran past and tackled San to the snow just as a few planes flew over their head.

Time seemed to slow as both Freya and Wooyoung looked to the sky.

Bombs fell from the belly of the planes and made contact with several sections of the wall protecting Ultima.

The five wolves were sent flying back as the shock-wave hit them.

Jongho twisted to try and see what happened to Wooyoung, but there was too much dust and snow in the air.

He could hear the walls crumbling,

The screaming started.

From his position on the ground, Jongho watched as the wall crumbled under another wave of bombs.

.

.

.

.

Hongjoong and Yeosang sat on the couch in the living room with both kids settled between them. They needed the distraction so they had picked out a few movies to watch.

They knew what was going on right now with the rest of their family.

Avayla and Theo knew something was wrong too. There were several times they would change position to give either of their uncles a hug, or hug each other.

The distraction wasn't really working.

But it was nice to pretend that it was.

.

.

.

.

Mingi shook his head violently, trying to get the ringing in his ears to stop. He pushed himself to his feet and tried to find his balance, but he stumbled to the side and fell over again.

Something touched his fur and he forced his eyes open.

Colonel Gregson was kneeling over him. His lips were moving, but all Mingi could hear was the ringing.

The Hunter looked up and spoke to someone nearby.

Mingi shifted his head and saw the cloud of dust and snow starting to settle. While the center was still intact, every other section of the wall had been destroyed.

The Hunters had done it.

Colonel Gregson was shaking him again. "...gi! Ge... We ha.... ove now!"

The alpha's hearing was slowly starting to come back. He looked around again and saw both San and Jongho stumbling to their feet, along with Marylou and Tina. All four looked as dazed as he felt.

Looking past them, he saw the other wolves gathered to the side, but the Hunters were charging forward, firing their guns at any Ultima wolves who came flooding out of the gate.

Now he heard the screaming.

"Mingi!" The Colonel yelled.

He snapped his head to the side and The Colonel patted his neck.

"We have to move! We are running out of time! They seem surprised by the bombs so now is our chance. The wolves won't attack without your pack."

Mingi nodded and turned back to the others. _Jongho, are you ok?_

_Yeah. I'm ok..._

**_Wooyoung!_** San shouted before stumbling forward. He yelped as he fell in the snow with his shaky legs but got up again quickly.

_San! Don't go alone, wait for us!_ Mingi said, struggling to keep up with him as he regained his sense of balance.

The three of them moved forward as one unit, signaling the rest of the wolves to attack. They surged forward and jumped over the wreckage, disappearing into the city.

When they reached the spot where Wooyoung and Freya had been, there was no sign of a body. It was a small blessing, but not enough to give them peace.

Jongho took the lead as the three of them ran to join the battle.

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.

.

.

Wooyoung whimpered as Freya dragged him backward. He was still having a hard time hearing after the explosions went off on either side of them.

How they had managed to survive he had no idea... But guessed it had something to do with magic because Freya seemed unaffected.

She yanked on his hair and pulled him into a room behind the main hall and threw him onto the floor.

His entire body trembled as it tried to warm itself up, but that wasn't happening any time soon since his pants were soaked from the snow.

He watched with wide eyes as his old pack elder entered the room, followed by another alpha who glared down at him. The way Freya bowed her head to them told Wooyoung he must be the leader of Ultima.

His hearing started to return as San's mother pulled him up off the ground so the other two could look at him.

Percival stared at him with disgust. He had always been cruel to Wooyoung, so this was expected.

The other alpha, however, had a curious look on his face. "Do you really think so?"

"Yes." Percival nodded. "Look at his eyes. Those gold fleck in there. I can't believe I never saw it before. Although he has always been filth."

"Now Percival..." The other alpha said, his voice getting lower.

Wooyoung whimpered as Freya pulled his hair back. What was the matter with his eyes? What was going on?

"You know our standards. I should have killed him when I had the chance. Unable to bare pups, such a disgrace."

The omega closed his eyes. He knew he should be used to it by now, but hearing it still stung. It wasn't his fault... They had to know how badly he wanted to...

"He makes an excellent play thing though." Freya hissed, placing her nose behind his ear and sticking her tongue out a little. "Trust me."

"No." The third alpha said. "It's too risky to keep him around. My family has worked too hard to maintain the throne, I will not let some runt come and take it away from me."

Wooyoung stared at him with wide eyes, trying to process what he was saying. Why would he take away the throne? All he wanted to do was go home and be with his pack.

"What should we do with him then?" Percival sneered.

"Kill him of course."

Wooyoung's heart stopped. He started to struggle in Freya's hands as she tightened her grip on his hair. "Allow me the honor, Sir. He will still be of use to me until I get my revenge for losing my sons."

"N-No... Please... I don't want anything f-from you." Wooyoung whimpered, then cried out when the third alpha grabbed his throat and squeezed.

"Don't play dumb with me. Even if you don't want it, the people will. You're a risk I can't afford to keep around."

Wooyoung gasped for air as his vision started to swim.

Then the alpha released him and he fell limp into Freya's arms, his chest heaving. "Make sure you finish him. Let's go Percival."

The two of them left the room while Freya dragged Wooyoung through another door.

He was blindfolded and gagged immediately and soon found himself tied to a pole, all while Freya hummed to herself happily.

Then an odd smell filled the air that Wooyoung didn't like. He pulled against the ropes and whimpered into the gag as a cold liquid was splashed over his already cold body.

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.

The room shook for a moment as a low rumbling sound could be heard in the distance.

Seonghwa glanced at the door, waiting for it to burst open but it never did.

"What was that?" Yunho whispered from where he was still in the omega's arms.

"I don't know, but I don't like it..."

"Do you think... The Colonel was talking about bombing the walls. Do you think it could be him?" Yunho moved to sit up and look at the omega. "I bet it is, let's try to get out of here."

"You don't think I've tried?" Seonghwa said with a sigh. "There's nothing I can use to break this. Plus the door is locked. I've tried everything."

Yunho gave him a small smirk. "But you haven't tried everything with me. Quick, untie me." He spun around.

Seonghwa's heart was hammering as he worked on the ropes binding the beta. Once he was free, Yunho moved to the ground to study where the chain was attached. "Ok, there's a thick iron loop in the wall. If we get enough leverage I bet we can pull it out."

Yunho fed one end of the rope through one of the chains and handed it to Seonghwa.

They stood next to each other and started to pull back on the rope to pull the chain instead of using where it was attached to Seonghwa's leg.

Groaning, they leaned back and kept pulling with all the strength they had left. "Come one Seonghwa, harder!" Yunho said through gritted teeth as his muscles strained.

Seonghwa closed his eyes and leaned into the motion, tugging several times.

Then they were both thrown onto the floor with a crash as the ring was pulled from the wall. Yunho cheered and turned to the omega, but they both froze as the lock clicked.

Seonghwa held his arms to his chest and curled up in a ball as Yunho tugged on the collar around his own neck.

Just as the door opened, the beta shifted in midair and tackled Silas to the floor, snapping at his face several times.

The alpha was quick though and was able to press his hands into Yunho's throat to keep him just far enough from his face that Yunho couldn't reach him.

But the beta didn't give up. He pulled back a little before throwing his weight against the growling alpha.

Silas' eyes flashed deep red. " **Get off me! Stand down!** "

Yunho flinched but kept snapping his jaws several times.

Then Silas shifted below him and used his back legs to shove Yunho at the bed. The posts splintered as he collided with them, letting out a yelp. As Silas advanced, foam forming at his mouth, Yunho backed himself into a corner.

Seonghwa watched as the alpha got closer. He had to do something. All of the alpha's dominance was focused on Yunho at this moment, so he still have some control over his own actions.

Crawling forward, he grabbed a piece of splintered wood and ran forward with a roar. He leapt onto Silas' back and drove it down in between his shoulder blades.

Silas snarled and twisted his body to try and get and Seonghwa, but the piece of wood in his back wouldn't allow him to twist properly.

This moment of distraction broke the hold he had on Yunho, allowing the beta to charge forward and lock his jaws around the underside of the alpha's throat.

The alpha thrashed, sending Yunho flying over the floor, but never dislodging him from his throat. Seonghwa fisted his fur to stay on his back, knowing that a fall could be disastrous for the baby...

Silas let out a whine as Yunho tightened his grip, his eyes bright blue as his wolf took over.

Seonghwa grabbed onto the piece of wood and twisted it, hoping the splinters would go in even deeper.

The alpha reared up, causing Seonghwa to slip off his back, but he was able to land on his feet and back away.

Yunho brought his front legs up and dug his claws into Silas' chest, making his red eyes open up wide as he too tried to get at the beta.

They fell onto their sides, and Seonghwa yelled when Silas came out on top, snarling as he grabbed onto Yunho's throat and shook his head rapidly from side to side, whipping the beta back and forth like a rag-doll.

Unable to take it, Seonghwa ran forward and rammed the alpha's side. They fell to the ground in a pile and he saw Silas hesitated when he saw Seonghwa stand between him and Yunho.

So Lance really was in charge.

"Yunho, run." Seonghwa said, not taking his eyes off Silas.

He heard the beta whimper behind him.

"Go. He won't harm me. Not while Lance is around."

Yunho whined again, but quickly left the room.

Silas snarled and shifted so he was standing and towering over Seonghwa. "You're brave. I'll give you that. But this form makes it easier for me to overpower you." He sneered.

Seonghwa was hoping he'd try this.

As soon as Silas lunged for him, he ducked and let the alpha fly over his head. And just as he hoped, Yunho had stayed right outside the door.

The beta ran back into the room and locked his jaw around Silas' head and forced them shut with a sickening crunch.


	28. 27

San let his rage take over as he ran down the main street of Ultima. He knew it well and watched as the main fortress rose up in front of him.

No one tried to stop him either. Most of the citizens were fleeing from the wreckage. A few alphas and betas charged them to attack, but the wolves from the valley took them.

Marylou and Tina stayed with them though. They had formed a small bond for the short time they were together, and the two betas were determined to help them free their family.

When they reached the main door, San grabbed the handle in his mouth and turned it, pulling the door open for them to slip in. The five of them crept forward.

The only sound was their claws clacking against the hard floor. It was like the place was abandoned... This didn't feel right at all. Sure they had the upper hand with the surprise attack and the Hunters, but San figured Lance would be more prepared.

Maybe this just went to show how much of a fool he really was.

Or how much of a fool San pack was...

As soon as they reached the center of the room, alphas burst through doors and surrounded them quickly.

Their group of five formed a tight circle, all facing away from each other, as they prepared for the attack. But the alphas didn't attack right away, they just kept them trapped.

San snarled, his hackles rising as his eyes shot around the room looking for any sign of Wooyoung, or the others.

He heard a deep, rumbling sound coming from Mingi and turned his head to look for the reason why.

Lance was walking into the room, head held high and a sneer on his disgusting face.

Jongho let out a warning whine, letting Mingi know to stay calm and not overreact. This would be a bad time to make a mistake since they were so greatly outnumbered.

They could hear gunfire outside, and at least that seemed to make the alphas nervous. Hopefully help would get there soon.

"Well, Mingi. How nice to see you again." Lance said from where he stood at the head of the room. "It's so nice of you to come visit me. Too bad it's for your own funeral though."

Mingi hunched over and kept growling at him, making Lance shake his head.

"Do you like what I've built? So much better than your pathetic father, isn't it?" He said, looking around the room.

He snapped his finger and several balls dropped from the ceiling. When they hit the ground, they exploded in a puff of smoke, causing the group of five to stumble to the side and blink rapidly.

Wolfsbane. There was Wolfsbane in the smoke.

San's eyes burned as he howled with pain. Then the howl got louder when he felt several pairs of teeth latch on to him and pull him to the ground.

"You made it too easy, old friend." Lance purred through the smoke.

San whined as he tried to break free and felt himself getting dragged away. And of course the pack link was blocked so he couldn't reach out to his pack...

The smoke started to clear and he saw that Jongho and Mingi were both pinned to the floor by several alphas, and Marylou and Tina were being herded to another section of the room, their heads bowed in submission.

Lance started walking forward, pulling out a long sword from behind his back and studying the blade.

Then a door closed in San's face as he was still pulled back. He whined, panicking over what was going to happen to his pack.

The wolves holding him snarled in warning as they deposited him in the middle of the dark room. Their red eyes flashed as they all snarled the command for him to shift.

He could feel his insides churning as he fought against them. His best bet was to stay in this form. He couldn't let them win.

A muffled scream came from behind one of the walls and San's heart sank. He would recognize that scream anywhere. But it gave him the power he needed to fight back.

He sprang to his feet and lunged for the nearest wolf, taking her by surprised and snapping her neck easily. The other four descended on him and he had to work to keep them at bay.

San became a spinning flurry of claws and teeth as he drew blood wherever he could. One alpha whimpered as San hooked a claw by his eye and ended up ripping it out. Then he turned and tore another one's ear off.

If he could keep wounding them like this, he might have a chance.

Another scream.

San jumped forward and snapped another alpha's neck by whipping his head back and forth violently.

Then he cried out as one jumped on his back and grabbed onto the back of his neck. He dropped to the ground quickly and rolled over, crushing the smaller alpha beneath him and forcing him to let go.

San swiped at another one and he thought he heard bones break as his paw connected with her jaw.

Beautiful.

He snarled at the three remaining alphas, giving them a chance to leave if they wanted to. He wanted to avoid as much bloodshed as possible, but he needed to save his energy.

The three alphas looked at each other and stepped back, bowing their heads. San jerked his head to the side, indicating for them to leave. They left without a second glance, allowing San to turn toward the door he had heard the scream come from.

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.

Mingi flailed on the floor, trying to get the alphas off him as he watched Lance advance with his sword. The coward wouldn't even fight him properly. So much for thinking he was better.

The alphas growled at him, trying to get him to submit to the multiple waves of dominance, but it would never work.

Not with where Mingi's mind was right now.

He tensed his muscles and then used his power to push off the floor and threw the others off him. This allowed him to stand and face Lance one on one.

The other alpha just chuckled and pointed his sword and Mingi, making it so that if he were to run forward the sword would go straight through his skull.

So instead, Mingi snarled a command for Lance to shift. There was enough power behind his voice that he knew the man's wolf would understand him.

Several of the other alphas behind him backed away and bowed their heads.

He whipped his head to the side and snapped at the wolves still pinning Jongho to the ground. They yelped and backed away. Jongho gave him a grateful nod and moved to stand by his side.

For a split second, Mingi thought he saw fear in Lance's eyes, but it was quickly hidden behind a smirk. "So valiant. The hero of the hour. I suppose now would be the time to tell you my news."

His laugh sent a chill down Mingi's spine. Jongho moved next to him so their shoulders were touching.

"You see..." Lance paused and looked down his nose at Mingi. "I'm going to be a proud father."

Mingi's heart stopped.

"And you want to know who is going to be giving me that pup?"

The floor seemed to fall away from under him as Mingi swayed slightly. No... He was lying. This was just a trick to get inside his head. There was no way... No.

Mingi roared and ran forward.

Lance raised the sword and swung down.

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Seonghwa stared at the lifeless body on his bed with wide eyes. He couldn't believe that had worked, but Silas was gone.

Yunho rubbed his nose on the sheets, trying to get off some of the blood before turning his head to the door. He let out a low whine and looked back and Seonghwa.

The older nodded and closed his eyes as pulled off the pair of pants Silas had on and pulled them on. They would worry about his collar later since it was padlocked.

As they left the room, fighting could be heard from different sections of the house. They ran to the nearest window and saw that there were several wolves fighting each other in the courtyard, as well as a wall of Hunters making their way down the main path.

Mingi really was here!

Seonghwa spun around and ran down the hall, looking for the stairs to get down to the main level. There had to be a way out of here. He needed to find Mingi.

Yunho kept up with him easily, staying in wolf form to fend off anyone they might come across. The upper hallways were eerily empty though. Everyone must be down fighting.

Several yelps came from ahead of them, so they picked up the pace.

They came to a balcony that overlooked the main hall and they saw a large group of wolves grappling for control.

The five in the middle were losing, and both Seonghwa and Yunho froze when they realized who they were.

"Come on, we need to get down there." Seonghwa said before running down the hall again.

Stairs. Stairs. Where were the stairs?

They rounded a corner and noticed another opening that led down. Seonghwa's bare feet slapped against the stone steps as he hurried down.

When they reached the room again, he noticed Lance pointing a sword at Mingi and he started to panic. He needed to get Lance's attention somehow.

Yunho whined next to him when he noticed that Jongho was in the room too. Where had San gone?

Seonghwa swore and looked around for something he could use.

There.

He walked to the wall to one of the decorations.

Yunho huffed next to him, trying to get his attention but Seonghwa ignored him.

He pulled out the decorative dagger from its sheath and walked forward just as Lance swung his sword at Mingi.

His alpha dodged the swing and rammed into Lance, but the silver hair man was nimble and got to his feet quicker than Mingi.

Just as he was about to swing his sword again, Seonghwa shouted with all the will and strength in his body. "LANCE!"

Everyone in the hall turned to look at the omega as he stepped forward. Lance's eyes widened with rage when he realized Seonghwa was free, but then the rage turned to fear as he looked down.

Seonghwa glared at him and turned the knife around so it was pointed at his own stomach.

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San walked to the door and yanked it open with his teeth.

His senses was instantly blasted with the smell of gas. Shaking his head, he snorted and walked forward slowly.

The small hallway stretched in front of him and curved to the right.

He continued to follow it for several minutes, noticing that it was sloping down the further he went along.

The smell of gas was getting stronger too.

"Oh Saaaaaaaanniiiiiieeeeee."

His mother's voice echoed down the hall making him pause.

"Come to mommy Sannie boy!" Her voice sounded raw, like she had been crying. "Mommy's aaaaaaallll aloooooone. She neeeeeds her baby boy!"

All alone? Did that mean Silas was dead?

San walked a little faster, but still cautiously. It sounded like she was at the end of the hall but he couldn't be sure.

His nose wrinkled the closer he got to the end of the hall.

"Sannie! Don't keep your dear old mother waiting!"

Yeah, she had definitely lost it...

San ran the last few feet and skidded to a stop when he got to the entrance of the room.

His mother was standing on a wooden platform. She had a crazed look in her eyes as she sneered. Next to her was Wooyoung, bound to a pole and gagged. He was shivering as whimpered into the gag.

Dripping from his skin was the gasoline San had smelled.

And his mother was holding a box of matches.


	29. 28

Seonghwa kept his eyes locked with Lance's as the entire room held its breath. He was surprised that his own hands were shaking, but maybe that just went to show how serious he was right now.

"Let them go, Lance, or I swear I will gut myself right here and take your unborn pup with me."

Mingi let out a strangled cry that Seonghwa did his best to ignore. It would break his resolve if he glanced at his mate now, especially because of what he just admitted out loud.

"You wouldn't dare." Lance hissed, taking a step forward.

Seonghwa adjusted his grip on the knife and pulled it away from his stomach a little. "Try me. I don't want to harm MY baby, but if it means stopping you then I will."

Lance's face grew redder as he lowered the sword to point the tip at the floor, but he didn't drop it.

"All of you pathetic alphas who chose to follow this bastard, leave now! This will be your only chance. If you leave without attacking anyone else you will get to keep your life." Seonghwa said, knowing that Mingi would have made the same deal with the Colonel this time.

Innocent lives would be spared.

Some of the alphas looked to Lance for confirmation, but he only had eyes for Seonghwa.

Jongho turned to them and growled, straightening his legs to the point where it looked like he was growing as he towered over the others.

They didn't need to be told twice.

Soon it was Lance alone in the room with Seonghwa's pack of four and two betas he had never seen before.

Yunho approached the omega slowly, his ears swiveling back and forth as he nudged Seonghwa's hands, moving the knife away from his stomach.

Now his hands started to shake as he placed one hand over his bare stomach and sank to his knees. Yunho immediately shoved his head into the older's chest and whined repeatedly.

Lance took this distraction and ran forward, swinging the sword quickly.

The edge of it caught Yunho's back, slicing it open.

Seonghwa's scream was drowned out by Jongho's howl of pain as he fell to the floor in a twisted pile.

Mingi charged forward, snapping his jaws several time, but Lance was expecting it and spun around, swinging the sword frantically to fend him off.

Seonghwa was shaking even harder now as he pulled Yunho into his arms. The beta was bleeding profusely from the open wound on his back. "H-Help. We n-n-need help!" He looked at the betas. "Please!"

They turned and ran from the room while Jongho finally managed to push himself off the ground and stumbled to Yunho, forcing himself to shift so he could check on the wound. Silent tears fell down his cheeks as he gingerly inspected the back of his mate.

"Jongho..." Seonghwa whispered.

"Go h-help Ming-gi." He said, not looking at Seonghwa.

The door burst open again and Colonel Gregson came running in with several men behind him carrying a stretcher. They all froze when they saw Lance and Mingi dancing around each other.

"Over here! Hurry!" Seonghwa yelled, getting their attention again.

The Colonel's eyes widened as he took in Yunho's body. "Get him to a medic NOW!" The Hunters scrambled and ran to collect Yunho, lifting him carefully onto the stretcher and rushing him out. Jongho hesitated for a moment, but then ran after him after a nod from Seonghwa.

Then his attention returned to the fight in front of him.

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"There's my boy!" Freya rasped next to Wooyoung's ear. Her voice had been hoarse ever since she screamed in pain a short time ago.

Something about losing him and how much pain she was in.

Wooyoung prayed that meant Silas was dead.

He couldn't stop shaking and wished he could at least see what was going on, but that would be too much to ask for. Not that he could ask with the gag in his mouth.

His only comfort was the fact that it sounded like San was finally there.

Wooyoung cried out into his gag, wanting San to save him, but also begging him to run away.

"My boy, my baby boy. You're all I have left."

"So then don't do this." San's voice was music to Wooyoung's ears. He whimpered into his gag again and pulled against the ropes.

Freya's hand started stroking his hair, her long nails massaging his scalp.

"Mom. If you want to be a family I will give you that chance. Just... drop the matches."

Matches?! Wooyoung screamed into his gag and started to struggle more.

"But you're not really my son, are you? If you were... You wouldn't have killed your brother."

The sound of a match striking against the box rang in Wooyoung's ear and his heart sank.

"Mom, you don't have to do this. Please." San pleaded.

"I want to see my family again." Freya whispered. "You. Took. EVERYTHING from me!"

Wooyoung felt like she was yelling at him more than San with how close she was to him. Maybe she was? But it's not like he asked for Jasper and Caius to do what they did...

He screamed into his gag again as another match scrapped against the box.

"Mom! Please!"

"I'm coming my love, my boys. You'll see your mom soon."

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.

.

.

Mingi could feel his inner demons wanting to come out as he circled the room with Lance.

He had committed the worst crime another wolf could do. And he was going to pay with his life. He would relish ripping him limb from limb.

If only the bastard would lose the damn sword!!

Mingi snarled at him and swiped at the blade, wanting to knock it from his hands. But Lance was too quick.

He thought he saw some of the Hunters come in at one point at take Yunho away, but it was too hard for him to tear his attention away from Lance long enough to be sure.

And he hated himself for it... He wanted to show concern for Yunho. He wanted to know that his friend was ok.

"Come on Mingi, what's the matter? Too scared to kill a new daddy?" Lance purred, swinging his sword in circles.

Mingi growled at him, just begging him to transform into a wolf. The damn coward.

Lance lunged forward and tried to stab him, but Mingi jumped back and managed to dodge it. They continued this dance for several minutes, neither one of them giving in.

Finally Mingi gave in and shifted, earning a smirk from Lance. "You coward! Stop using the damn sword and fight me like a man!"

"Man, you say? Yes, I supposed I am! I will be even more of a man in less than nine months too. I can see why you picked him." Lance taunted.

Mingi shook violently as he stood in place. He felt like he was going to explode. "You're a coward. You know that I can beat you easily so that's why you are hiding behind a sword. How can you feel any sense of honor?"

"You think I care about honor? All I want is to finish the vision that I started with your father! It's MY glory!"

"You're sick. I'm going to enjoy killing you."

Lance laughed. "Not if I kill you first." He stepped forward and jabbed at Mingi, who easily spun out of the way.

He was still at a huge disadvantage. He needed another distraction.

And he got it.

Seonghwa screamed in pain and they both turned to look at him as he pulled his hands away from his blood covered stomach.

"NO!" Lance roared, throwing his sword down and running forward.

Mingi just froze and his vision swam. His love, no... He actually...

" **HOW DARE YOU! I WILL FUCK ANOTHER ONE INTO YOU, YOU MARK MY WORDS!** "

That snapped Mingi out of it. There was no way he was letting that bastard touch his mate again! He ran forward and picked up the discarded sword.

His eyes flashed to Seonghwa's once and was confused to see a slight smirk on his face as he gripped the knife and thrust it up.

Right in between the alpha's legs.

Lance's scream was one of the worst things Mingi had ever heard, but he didn't let it stop him as he ran forward and yanked Lance away from his mate.

The alpha continued to scream and scream, especially once he was on his back staring up at Mingi.

" **Shut. Up.** " Mingi hissed, placing the tip of the sword against Lance's neck.

Then Lance started to laugh.

Mingi just shook his head. He didn't feel like Lance even deserved any last words. So he simply shoved the sword into Lance's throat, piercing his main vein. It would be enough that he would choke on his own blood.

He spun around quickly and dropped down in front of Seonghwa. "Why would you do this?" He asked as he held out shaking hands. There was blood everywhere...

"I didn't..." Seonghwa whispered, looking down at the floor. "It's... It's Yunho's blood... I needed something to distract Lance... But I... I... I can't bring myself t-t-t-to hurt m-my b-baby." He said through his tears as he placed his hands on his stomach.

So it really was true...

Mingi pulled Seonghwa into his arms, needing to touch his mate and feel that he was ok.

But everything was not ok...

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.

San ran forward just as he watched Freya light the second match after the first one went out.

His hands collided with her stomach, forcing her back off the platform and they fell to the stone ground, wrestling with each other.

Freya screeched at him and clawed at his face with her nails as he tried to get his hands around her throat.

"You killed them! You killed them all! This is your fault you worthless runt!"

San flinched at her words and gritted his teeth as he continued to try and strangle her.

But then a scream came from behind him and his head whipped up.

Knocking his mom to the side had caused her to drop the match.

Onto the puddled of gasoline.

Wooyoung was screaming into his gag as the fire nipped at him, spreading quickly.

San didn't hesitate to run into the flames and work at the ropes. He tried stomping on the fire where he could, but the ropes were his main concern. "Hang on baby. I'm here. Try not to move."

Wooyoung's muffled sobbed wracked his body as fire started to engulf both of them.

Freya was screaming in the background and San chanced a look over his shoulder to see she had tried to follow him into the fire. She must have doused herself in gasoline too because she was rolling around, clawing at her own skin.

San turned back to the ropes, hissing as fire licked his skin.

"Hold on baby, I'm trying. I'm almost done. Hold on baby."

Tears started to roll down his cheeks as San tried to control his shaking hands.

Finally, he felt the rope loosen and he was able to yank Wooyoung away from the pole, taking a lot of the rope with them.

He threw both their bodies onto the ground and rolled several times, trying to suffocate the flames. It worked for the most part, so all he had to do was pat the rest of them out.

San tried to calm his racing heart as he worked on untying Wooyoung, the screams of Freya still sounding in the background.

After freeing his hands, San moved to Wooyoung's legs while his omega pulled the gag and blindfold off his face.

"S-San!" He cried out, wrapping his arms and legs around his alpha.

"Are you hurt? How bad is it?" San asked, trying to see how badly the younger was burned, but Wooyoung just held him tighter.

Then they both turned as Freya's screams got louder. Her body was black by now as she continued to roll on the floor, clawing at herself. "S-Son..." She begged, reaching for him.

San just narrowed his eyes and pulled Wooyoung's face into his shoulder. He could feel his omega's grip tightening on him as he shook with fear.

But all San did was watch Freya burn alive without feeling an ounce of remorse or regret.


	30. 29

Jongho watched as the Hunter medic worked on the gash in Yunho's back. He had managed to coax him into shifting, even though he could tell it had been excruciatingly painful and made him lose even more blood, it was the easiest way to get him taken care of.

A tent had been set up outside, which at least got them in out of the snow. The Hunters set up space heaters inside the tent as well. Yunho wasn't the only wounded, but he was the worst one, so they focused on him first.

They worked with accurate precision, which Jongho appreciated, but Yunho didn't show any signs of getting better. The gash in this back went from his right shoulder down the right side of his back, ending just above his hips.

The medic said he was lucky it didn't catch his spine.

Jongho held onto both of his hands, sitting by his head the entire time, whispering constantly into his ear. "You're going to be ok, love. You're going to get through this. They are stitching you up right now. You were so brave in there." He kissed each of his mate's fingers, hoping he could feel it as he laid unconscious on the table.

His thoughts wandered back to what was happening inside. He hoped the others were ok... Part of him felt bad for leaving, but he didn't want Yunho to wake up alone...

"Please... Please be ok." Jongho whispered into his mate's fingers.

When the Hunter finished applying all the stitches, he gave Jongho a bottle of pain killers with the instruction to give as needed. Yunho was also going to be on bed rest for quite a while now. Jongho thanked the man quietly and returned to his vigil.

A short time later, he heard a familiar voice screaming for a medic.

San came bursting through the tent entrance carrying Wooyoung in his arms.

Jongho let out a strangled cry of relief and stood up, but didn't leave Yunho's side. "S-San... What h-happened?"

The other alpha just shook his head, indicating later, especially when he saw Yunho lying face down on the bed.

Wooyoung was whimpering with his face pressed into San's neck.

As Jongho looked over him, he saw that the pants he had been in were hanging off him by mere strings and his legs... His legs were terribly burned.

Thankfully he was placed on the table next to Yunho, so Jongho could shift his chair over just a little to place a hand on Wooyoung's shoulder. "W-Woo..."

The omega hissed as the medic started rubbing a special cream to his legs. "I know it hurts, but it's going to help soothe and heal the burn. It doesn't look bad. Why... Why do you smell like gasoline?" The Hunter exclaimed.

"WHAT?" Jongho yelled, leaning closer and confirming the smell. "What the hell happened?"

"My psychotic mother." San growled, his eyes flashing red as he tried to control himself.

Jongho took his one free hand and placed it on San's shoulder to try and calm him down. The other alpha seemed to relax a little bit and he placed his head on the table so his cheek touched Wooyoung's. They nuzzled each other for a long moment.

Then Wooyoung turned to look at Yunho. "Is..."

"I don't know. They say he should be..." Jongho whispered, looking back at Yunho.

Wooyoung hissed in pain again as a fresh layer of cream was applied to his legs. San placed his hands on his shoulders to keep him flat on the table while the medic muttered apologies.

"Is she dead?" Jongho growled as he took in the burns on Wooyoung's legs.

"Yes." San said shortly, still focusing on his omega.

"Good."

They sat in silence for a few minutes again before the tent flap once again opened. Mingi came rushing in, pausing in between the two tables and looking at both of his injured friends. When he received a nod from Wooyoung, he turned and knelt next to Yunho.

"What happened in there?" Jongho asked him.

"He's dead. It's over. It's all over." Mingi said, gritting his teeth as he placed a gentle hand on Yunho's left shoulder.

"Finally." Jongho sighed.

That's when he noticed Seonghwa standing off to the side getting checked over for any injuries. The omega had a troubled look on his face and his eyes were red and swollen.

Jongho tried to reach out to Mingi privately to ask what was going on, but he found the link to him blocked. As if the alpha had turned it off...

"Mingi?" He asked, making sure to put a low warning tone in it.

The response he got was Mingi shoving himself off the ground and storming out of the tent without a backward glance at anyone.

Seonghwa's head turned to want him go and his shoulders sank before he made his way over to join them. He took Wooyoung's hand as he pulled up a chair. "How are you doing?"

"I hurt. You?"

The older looked at the entrance of the tent again, then looked down without answering.

Jongho made a mental note to be sure to talk to Mingi later.

But for now he turned to the omega and tilted his head a little. "Is it true?"

Seonghwa looked at him with tear filled eyes and nodded, clutching at the jacket he had been given to wear.

"Is what true?" San asked, looking between them and Wooyoung squeezed Seonghwa's hand.

Seonghwa bit his lip and leaned into the table, burying his face in Wooyoung's arm as he started to cry.

Jongho's heart ached at the sight. He couldn't even imagine what must be going through the omega's head right now. Although, he could a little bit as he glanced at Wooyoung. He had been through an even worse situation with San's brothers... And the alpha knew that both he and San would have been furious if Wooyoung had come back to them pregnant...

"What's going on?" San asked, looking at the younger alpha.

"Seonghwa's pregnant." Jongho said as he looked down at the floor. His silence afterword was enough for them to realize who the father was.

Wooyoung hissed as he pushed himself into a sitting position, ignoring San's protests, so he could pull Seonghwa into a hug. The two omegas sat on the table as the younger tried to comfort the older.

_Where the hell did Mingi go?_ San asked Jongho privately.

_I don't know, but as soon as I know that Yunho is ok I'm going to go talk to him._

_You don't think he's mad at Seonghwa, do you?_

Jongho pursed his lips and glanced at the tent entrance. He hoped that wasn't the case. But he was worried it was...

.

.

.

.

Several hours passed while the four of them waiting for Yunho to wake up. His color was slowly coming back, but the Hunter's refused to move him until he regained consciousness and they could run a couple of other tests.

Wooyoung continued to hold Seonghwa, showing him the comfort he knew he needed right now.

The older had stopped crying a long time ago, but he didn't want to look at anyone or anything, so he had moved so he was laying down and staring at Wooyoung's stomach while Wooyoung gently ran a hand through his hair.

A medic had come to apply more cream to his legs, but hesitated when he saw Seonghwa, so San offered to do it.

It felt good having San rub his legs like that. The cold cream was really soothing, plus having his mate do it made his wolf relax more too.

He was just getting ready to readjust so he could lay down too when Yunho let out a soft moan.

Everyone leaned forward, including Seonghwa who kneeled next to Yunho's bed, and waited.

The beta scrunched his face in pain as his body shifted slightly.

"Take it slow, love." Jongho whispered, squeezing the hand he had yet to let go of. "Take it slow. You're safe."

"Jong...ho? Wha.... Happen..." Yunho mumbled as he tried to lift his head.

Wooyoung watched as Jongho gently cupped his mate's face to try and help him. "You were hurt, but the Hunters have helped. They... They had to stitch up you back."

Yunho closed his eyes and his upper lip twitched a little as he tried to process the information. Then they flew open again as he looked around. "Where is he?"

"Dead. Mingi killed him." Seonghwa said, patting Yunho's left shoulder. "We are safe."

"Can we go home then?"

Jongho let out a little chuckle and kissed Yunho's forehead. "Yes, my love, we can go home as soon as we figure out how to get you there."

Yunho nodded and glanced around. "Youngie..."

"I'm fine." Wooyoung said quickly, waving his hand in dismissal. "We all have our own stories to tell, and I'm sure we will get to it at some point."

San smiled up at him and cupped his cheek for a moment before running over to one of the medics.

As he came over and started running his checks on Yunho, the tent opened again and Mingi came running in. "You're awake!" He cried out, going to stand on the other side of Jongho.

The two alphas helped him get up into a sitting position as directed by the medic, wanting to test the stitches to make sure they would hold. "Normally I wouldn't advise this, but we can't stay here... I used a special design we created to help with, well... wolf bites. It works better than standard grade, so I think you should be ok. How are you feeling?"

Yunho bowed his head and tried to roll his shoulder, but he hissed immediately.

"Ok, ok. Don't push it. We've got a truck coming in that we can use to transport you home. Colonel's orders." The medic said, looking at everyone. "It's big enough that you'll be able to lie down during the drive. It should be here in a few hours."

"Thank you." Mingi said, holding out his hand to shake the Hunter's.

The man just nodded while giving a tight lipped smile before walking away.

"Where have you been?" Jongho asked, glancing at the taller alpha.

That earned him a glare and a short growl. "I've been busy."

Wooyoung felt his wolf stirring. Busy? He should be here with his pack. With his mate!

Seonghwa moved closer to him and tried to reach for his hand, but Mingi turned and stormed out of the tent again. His omega stared after him, tears coming to his eyes again. "I knew he would be upset." He whispered as he slowly sank to his knees.

Wooyoung was just about to speak when a few wolves came up to them. They looked timid, but had a hopefully look to their eye as they looked at him.

San stood and placed a hand on his thigh, letting out a low warning growl.

"Excuse us." One of the males said, bowing his head a couple of times. "But... We overheard something in the fortress that we had to see for ourselves."

"See what?" Wooyoung asked, glancing at the others. He was confused when he saw that Jongho had lost all his color and was starting to shake. San also tensed next to him.

The man held out a hand and bowed his head, a sign of submission. He was an omega, Wooyoung could tell by how timid he was. "Please?" He asked, not looking at anyone.

Wooyoung lifted a hand and brushed his fingers against the others. The man lifted his head and stepped forward, using that same hand to reach out and brush the hair from Wooyoung's forehead.

He leaned in a little closer, his forehead creasing as he studied Wooyoung's face. Then he gasped and stepped back, looking at the other two omegas with him. "It's true."

They exchanged glances before getting down on their knees.

"All the stories are true!"

"What are you talking about?" Wooyoung asked with a shaking voice as he leaned into San.

The omega also sank to his knees and bowed his head. "You are our long lost leader. The one who is supposed to bring peace back to Ultima. You have finally returned to us."


	31. 30

"What are you talking about?" Wooyoung asked.

San flinched at these words and looked at Jongho. It looked like he was feeling guilty just as much as he was.

"Ultima used to be ruled by omegas with eyes that were always gold. They were stronger than normal omegas and made for wise leaders. It has long been rumored that one of those omegas ran away, taking her unborn child with her." The man said, hope filling his eyes as he looked up at Wooyoung.

"But... I'm from Primera." He said, looking at Yunho quickly.

"Her mate was from Primera." San said softly.

He flinched when everyone turned to look at him except for Jongho, who was looking at the floor too.

"How do you know this?" The man asked.

San looked at his love, begging him for forgiveness with his eyes as he began to talk about what made his suspicions rise, and how he looked into in while Wooyoung researched the cure, and how Maria confirmed a lot of the facts when he talked with her.

"You... knew?" Wooyoung asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes. I didn't want to say anything until it was confirmed. But I only did that to protect you... And myself... I know it was selfish of me, but part of me was scared that I would lose you." San squeezed his eyes shut and he felt large tears roll down his cheeks.

"Why would you lose me?"

The group fell silent. San could feel his shoulders shaking as he tried to find his words. He could stare down an angry alpha in the face of danger, but he was a coward when it came to voicing his feelings.

"Because we didn't know how you would take this news." Jongho said, jumping in to help him. "We didn't want you to leave us."

"I don't understand." Wooyoung sounded hurt now, but San still couldn't bring himself to open his eyes.

"Well, you're our rightful leader. Reece and his family of alphas have been ruling against the packs will for a long time now. You're... You're home." The omega said softly, as if willing Wooyoung to accept his words.

"No."

Everyone looked up, including San, as Wooyoung answered immediately.

"I'm sorry, but no. This isn't my home. I may be some long lost member of your pack, but if that was the case then you should have looked for my ancestor, whoever she was."

"W-We tried..."

"Not hard enough. You will have to figure out what to do without me, because I don't want to stay here." Wooyoung turned to look at San, and the alpha broke down as he saw the love in his mate's eyes. "I want to go home with my silly, foolish, real family."

Everyone in their pack gave a collective sigh of relief.

But all three of the omegas stood up, looking worried and offended. "But this is where you belong. It's your birthright!"

San turned to them and was about to speak when Wooyoung cut him off. " **I said no.** " His eyes turned a bright gold as he stared at the Ultima wolves.

They bowed their heads immediately and fled from the tent.

Choking on another sob, San pulled Wooyoung into his arms and nuzzled the mating mark on his neck. It make his wolf churn like crazy when Wooyoung returned the action. "You're such an idiot." The younger whispered. "All of you are. Well, you two didn't know. But you sure are Jongho." He said with a smirk.

Both alphas flinched at his words.

"I always knew you were special, Youngie." Yunho said, flashing his wide smile for the first time since he woke up. His eyes flashed to San, and the alpha knew he was thinking about the moment in the cave all those years ago when he had said the same thing to San. Back then it had been a warning, but also a way of Yunho stating that he knew Wooyoung had the ability to draw people to him.

Now they all understood why.

San hopped onto the bed and pulled Wooyoung into his lap, burying his face in his omega's neck. "I know." He admitted. "But... The opportunity to go to the top of the pack from where you started... Not many wolves would turn that down."

"Well apparently I'm not like most wolves." Wooyoung said, making everyone laugh softly.

San glanced over at Jongho and noticed him watching Wooyoung with a soft smile. Then they locked eyes and both nodded in understanding. Their boy wasn't going anywhere. Wooyoung was theirs, just as much as they were his.

.

.

.

.

After a few hours, medics came to observe Yunho as they got ready to leave. The truck had arrived, so it was finally time to go home.

Yunho was anxious to leave. He couldn't wait to hold his little boy again. It made his heart hurt at the thought of being away from him a moment longer.

Jongho and San moved to help him stand, but suddenly Mingi was there, ducking under one of his arms. "I've got him." He said. "I think it will be easier since we are the same height. You walk behind us just in case."

The other two nodded slowly and took up position as Mingi wrapped Yunho's left arm around his waist, then carefully wrapped his arm, over Yunho's, around the beta's waist to support him.

Yunho had lost the ability to use his right arm for now. It hurt to move his shoulder too much, so it had been bound to his side so it didn't flail around while he moved.

The walk was slow, and he had to stop every once in a while to let the pain level drop, but they finally got to the truck and all three alphas worked to lift him into it.

He fought his way through the pain as his back screamed at him. It got better once he was able to lay down. A makeshift bed had been set up on the floor of the truck with a cushion wall for him to settle down in.

Jongho laid down with him on the floor, giving him a small smile as he connected their foreheads. "Home." He breathed.

"Yes. Home." Yunho sighed, glancing up at here Wooyoung was laying down on a wider seat so he could spread his legs. His head was resting in San's lap and they were looking at each other, smiles plastered on their faces as they had a silent conversation that only Soulmates could have.

Seonghwa was on San's other staring down at his hands.

Yunho was about to say something to him when Colonel Gregson climbed into the back followed by Mingi, who sat down by the door.

"I'm glad to see that you are all ok, as ok as you can be at least." The Colonel said, giving Yunho and Wooyoung an apologetic smile. "I want to let you know that while you were being looked at, my men apprehended and... took care of the leaders of two of your packs."

"Reece and Percival?" San asked, straightening up.

"Yes. They were caught trying to sneak out the back entrance. I confirmed who they were through Mingi." The Hunter said, clapping Mingi on the shoulder. "I hope this puts an end to the struggle for both of our sides."

There was a knock on the back door that halted his words. Mingi opened the door to reveal Marylou and Tina standing there holding hands. "I'm glad we caught you! Tinee said we wouldn't." The red head gave them a big, but worried smile.

"We just wanted to say goodbye, and thank you." Tina bowed low, pulling Marylou with her.

"No," Jongho rose off floor and hurried over to them. He pulled both into a hug at the same time. "Thank you. We couldn't have done this without your help. We are forever in your debt." He pulled back and handed them a piece of paper. "If you are ever passing through, you will always have a place in our home."

Marylou let out a happy squeal as she threw her arms around Jongho again, the momentum causing them to spin in a circle. He flashed an embarrassed smile at Yunho before patting her on the back.

A few of the other wolves who had joined them for the fight came to say their goodbyes as well, dragging out the process.

But none of them could find it in their hearts to turn them away. Yunho knew that they had done a lot for this part of the world, so the least they could do was delay going home a little longer.

When things finally died down, Colonel Gregson and Mingi closed the back doors again and the truck started to roll forward.

Jongho was on the floor next to Yunho again, ready to support him in away way necessary.

Finally, they were going home.

.

.

.

.

"Uncle Sangie, will you read to me please?" Avayla asked, shuffling over with a book in her hands.

Yeosang looked over his shoulder and nodded. "Let me finish drying the dishes, then we can, ok sweetie?"

"Ok." She said, lowering the book a little and staring at the floor. Then she let out a couple of sniffles that had Yeosang falling to her knees and pulling her into a hung. "I miss Mama and Papa."

His heart broke at her words as he rocked her back and forth. "I know, I miss them too. I'm sure they will be home soon." Yeosang whispered into her ear.

"Why did they leave me?"

She asked this almost every day now and Yeosang was running out of things to say. "They didn't leave you. They just had things to take care of."

"What things?" Avayla whined, bringing one of her tiny hands up to her eye to rub it.

"Grown up things that you wouldn't understand."

The little girl hiccuped and shook her head. "But I'm a big girl now."

"Yes you are." Yeosang said, tapping her nose with his finger. "And I need you to keep being a big girl for me and try to stay positive, ok? They are going to be home soon."

Avayla hiccuped again but nodded slowly.

"Thank you." Yeosang leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "Now why don't you got get Theo and we can all read together for a bit."

She nodded and ran down the hallway. Avayla never turned down a request to go find her best friend.

Yeosang took a deep breath and moved to get off the floor, but suddenly he didn't have the energy to. His shoulders started to shake as he covered his mouth with his hands.

The backdoor opened and Hongjoong came running in. The beta knew he sensed something was wrong and returned early from his patrol.

Hongjoong fumbled with putting his pants on, then fell to the floor next to his mate. "What happened? Why are you on the floor?" He ran his hands through Yeosang's hair and down his back.

"I'm s-sorry... It's j-just... Why haven't we heard from them?"

"Jongho told us it might be awhile..." Hongjoong said quietly, pulling Yeosang into his arms. "I know. I'm worried too."

That sat there for a long moment before his alpha stood up and picked Yeosang up in his arms. The younger closed his eyes and let his head fall onto Hongjoong's shoulders as the soft swaying started to soothe him. "Avayla wanted me to read to her."

"Perfect. We can get settled on the couch and all read together." Hongjoong hummed as he sat in the corner of the couch. He situated things so Yeosang could stay in his lap.

A few minutes later, both kids came hurrying into the room holding hands. Avayla let Theo get onto the couch first. He moved so he was tucked in the little triangle formed by the couch, Yeosang, and Hongjoong, Then he looked between them to see who would be reading.

Hongjoong took the book from Avayla as she sat on Yeosang's lap and rubbed his stomach gently before looking at Hongjoong.

Theo rotated so he could rest his head against Hongjoong's chest. He had learned that even though he couldn't hear the words, he could feel Hongjoong's voice as he spoke.

It was something he had picked up on over the past week, so both Hongjoong and Yeosang couldn't wait for Theo to do it with his parents. It was a nice bonding moment they could all share.

As long as they came back...

Yeosang closed his eyes and shook his head. He couldn't be having those thoughts right now. But he couldn't shake the sinking feeling in his gut that something was wrong.

He sighed and closed his eyes so he could focus on Hongjoong's sweet voice as he tried to change it to match the characters in the story.

They stayed like this for the next couple hours, just enjoying the contact with each other. It was a small comfort.

But then Hongjoong stopped and straightened.

"What is it?" Yeosang asked as both kids looked up at him too.

"Someone just crossed the border into our territory." Hongjoong said as his eyes flashed red.


	32. 31

Hongjoong moved everyone off his lap and walked slowly to the front door. _Jongho? Is that you?_ He called out through the link.

Both he and Yeosang held their breaths as they waited for a response. Even Avayla and Theo stared at the front door with wide eyes.

"Stay here with the kids." Hongjoong said, not looking back as he stepped outside. Whoever crossed the line didn't feel hostile, but if it was Jongho then why wasn't he answering?

As he stood on the front porch, he heard the roar of an engine before he saw the lights from the truck as it pulled up in front of the house. It was a military truck, meant for transporting troops...

Hongjoong clenched his fists, prepared to fight if he needed to.

The truck rolled to a short stop and the back door opened.

Two sets of feet crunched in the snow and Jongho appeared around the side of the door, a weary smile on his face.

Hongjoong sighed and ran forward, practically jumping into the alpha's arms. "Why didn't you answer me?" He asked as he clung to the younger.

"Honestly? I just woke up." Jongho answered with a slight chuckle. "We all did. It's been a long drive." Then he hesitated and looked down.

"What's wrong?" Hongjoong asked, his heart sinking.

"We didn't come back in one piece. Are the kids awake? I... I don't know if they should see us right now..."

Hongjoong glanced back at the house and bit his lip. "While I would usually agree with you, they already know something is up. I don't think we could get them to bed even if we tried. What happened?"

"It's a long story." Jongho sighed as a pained look crossed his face.

They stepped back and the older glanced around the door. He gasped and placed his hand over his heart as he saw Mingi and Colonel Gregson helping Yunho down out of the truck. Jongho stepped forward so his mate had something to hold on to as he stepped down. Then Mingi jumped down and supported Yunho's weight.

"Hey Joong." Mingi said, nodding at him.

Yunho tried to give him his usual wide smile, but Hongjoong could tell that he was in a lot of pain.

Seonghwa was the next. He looked drained and... lifeless. Hongjoong saw him glance at Mingi once before dropping his eyes to the ground again and following silently behind him.

San was the last one out and he was carrying Wooyoung in his arms. The little omega hissed in pain, but he gave Hongjoong an almost embarrassed smile before reaching out and touching his shoulder.

"Guys..." Hongjoong gasped.

"They are home." Colonel Gregson said, patting him on the shoulder. "That's what's important. We did it. Things should hopefully be over."

Swallowing hard, Hongjoong blinked several times before he shook his head. "Please, Colonel, please come in."

The man just nodded and took up his place at the back of the group.

Jongho hesitated on the porch, his hand on the handle was shaking as he glanced back at Yunho. He got a nod from his mate and opened the door.

"Papa!!" Avayla shouted as they all filed into the house.

Jongho quickly moved to support Yunho as Mingi fell to his knees and pulled Avayla into his chest and held her tight. The little girl was sobbing as she threw her arms around the alpha. Then she lifted her head and cried harder when she saw Seonghwa, who collapsed as well and pulled her to him.

Theo reacted in much the same way, but instead of Jongho picking him up, Hongjoong made sure to grab him before he accidentally hurt Yunho. The boy didn't like it and squirmed while reaching for his parents.

"I know baby, give them a moment." Hongjoong said, trying to hold on tight while Jongho helped Yunho over to the couch.

When he saw Yunho limping, Theo seemed to calm down a little. He stopped struggling at least, but the crying continued as Hongjoong followed behind them.

"How do you want to do this?" Jongho asked Yunho quietly.

"You probably shouldn't put any pressure on your back right now." Colonel Gregson said, hurrying forward and grabbing some pillows off the couch.

Yunho just nodded slowly as the two of them helped him lower himself onto the floor.

Hongjoong glanced at Yeosang, who was standing in the corner with wide, tear filled eyes as he watched his family try to get settled in the house. They locked eyes for a moment and Hongjoong was happy to see the relief in his eyes as well.

As soon as Yunho was situated on the floor, Hongjoong put Theo down and the boy immediately ran to his mother. The beta had tears running down his face as Theo laid down next to him and nestled into his side, placing a hand on his cheek.

Jongho dipped down so he could lay down behind his son, who turned and patted his cheek a couple of times too. It looked like he was having a hard time deciding who to look at, so Jongho gave him a soft smile, kissed his forehead, then helped him turn around so he was facing Yunho again.

The head alpha glanced back at where the other set of parents was still holding their girl, who was babbling things about them leaving her and being mad that they were gone for so long. But she also asked if Seonghwa finished what he had had to do and Hongjoong didn't miss the hurt that flashed across his eyes when Mingi looked away from him.

Something happened... Hongjoong could tell that much but he would wait to ask about it.

Then he felt a gentle tap on the shoulder and looked to see San standing there. "You should probably call Maria..." He said quietly.

"Why? I know she'll want to see you all, but that can wait."

"Trust me. Just call her." The younger alpha said before returning to where he had placed Wooyoung on the couch.

Yeosang had gone to sit next to him and the pair was holding each other tight.

Hongjoong bit his lip and stepped into the kitchen to call Maria as San asked.

.

.

.

.

Seonghwa couldn't believe he was home right now. He didn't even know how long he had been gone, but it was too long in his book.

Avayla clung to him, picking him over Mingi to cry into. He ran his hand over her back and shushed her softly. "It's ok, Mama's home. I'm here."

He tried to look at Mingi, but he only had eyes for their daughter. Which made sense to an extent, but his alpha hadn't spoken to him since their hug in the great hall back at Ultima. He could feel the rage and conflict pouring out of Mingi and it scared him... but more than anything he just wanted to be in his lover's arms again...

At one point Yeosang came over to check on them and give them a hug, welcoming them home. The house was a little chaotic as everyone tried to find their place again, and two crying children didn't help that.

Colonel Gregson did what he could to make sure that both Yunho and Wooyoung were comfortable, which was a relief.

After about an hour or so, both kids had cried themselves to sleep, and as much as it killed Seonghwa to do so, he knew Avayla would sleep better in her bed and away from the conversation that was about to happen.

As he stood to take Avayla to her room, Mingi suddenly pulled her away and rushed down the hall. "Mi..." Seonghwa started but he was gone.

He watched as Jongho took Theo to his room and locked eyes with Wooyoung, whose jaw was set with anger. Seonghwa just shook his head and ran his hand over his cheek. When had he started crying?

"Are you ok?" Yeosang asked, coming over and holding out a hand. Seonghwa took it and pulled himself off the floor.

"Y-Yeah, just a bit overwhelmed" Seonghwa mumbled as the beta pulled him into a hug. As his honey scent washed over him, the omega found himself smiling. He had missed his friend so much.

"Come on, let's get you situated. I have a feeling this is going to be a long evening." Yeosang said quietly as he pulled the older behind him.

The pair sat together on the couch, with room on either side of them for their mates. But when Mingi entered the room, he went to stand in the corner, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

Seonghwa felt his heart breaking as he looked down at his hands. He wished Mingi would just talk to him, even just look at him, to give him some hope that things were going to be ok.

But it was going to be awhile, or at least that's what it felt like when Wooyoung suddenly stood up. He hissed in pain and San immediately tried to get him to sit back down, but he pushed his alpha away and rounded on Mingi. "What the hell is your problem?"

The room was silent.

"Look at me, Mingi!" He shouted, his fists balled up at his side.

Mingi did, raising his head up and looking down at the omega.

"What the hell is wrong with you? How can you do this to Seonghwa right now?"

"Youngie... Please..." Seonghwa whispered as more tears came to his eyes. He was worried this was just going to make things worse.

"No!" Wooyoung shouted. "He is being selfish right now! And I'm tired of it. We have all been to hell and back, and you more than any of us deserve to be comforted by your mate, and what is he doing? Ignoring all of us except Yunho!"

Mingi growled in warning as his eyes flashed red, but still he didn't speak.

"Wooyoung, please, your legs." San begged, tugging at his mate's arm.

"You know what he went through! It wasn't his fault! He didn't ask for this!"

Mingi flinched at his words and looked away, biting his lower lip as it started to tremble.

"What, are my words too tough to hear for the 'big bad alpha'?" Wooyoung sneered as he crossed his arms.

Seonghwa closed his eyes as Yeosang pulled him into a hug. "What is going on, what is he talking about?"

"That's what I would like to know, why don't we all just take a deep breath and try to calm down." Hongjoong said, moving to stand in between Wooyoung and Mingi.

Jongho came walking down the hall and his eyes widened when he saw what was going on. "Wooyoung! What on earth are you doing! You shouldn't be standing on your legs right now!" He said, rushing to the omega's side.

"I'm giving Mingi a piece of my mind, like you should have done hours ago." Wooyoung snapped, jabbing his finger into Jongho's side.

"Alright, please. I don't want to do this right now." Hongjoong begged. Seonghwa could see he was struggling with keeping his wolf under control.

This was all his fault... Maybe he should have killed the baby back at the fortress, then this wouldn't be an issue...

Hongjoong was about to speak again when there was a knock at the front door. Maria stepped inside quickly and her smile faltered when she saw the state everyone was in. She locked eyes with each one of them, but she saved Seonghwa for last.

The old beta was too smart for her own good sometimes. She discarded her coat on the floor and rushed to kneel in front of Seonghwa.

The omega heard a gasp come from both Hongjoong and Yeosang as they realized what was going on.

Hongjoong rounded on Mingi. "Ok, now I agree with Wooyoung. Why are you being so cold to Seonghwa right now?"

"Because it's not his..." Seonghwa whispered, his lip trembling as he couldn't even bring himself to look at Maria.

Yeosang sobbed and took his hand, squeezing it at Seonghwa leaned into him again, seeking some form of comfort.

"No..." Hongjoong said, looking at all of them. When he was greeted with silence, he moved to Seonghwa's other side and took his free hand. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't. You have our support."

"But not from the one who matters..." He said softly. He saw Mingi flinch in the corner. Good, he hoped that stung...

Mingi stormed out of the house, slamming the front door behind him.

Seonghwa started to cry again as both Hongjoong and Yeosang wrapped and arm around him.

"I'm just going to do a quick check up, ok?" Maria said softly. Seonghwa just nodded and closed his eyes and Maria's soothing hands worked their way over his stomach. He felt himself calming down instantly and let out a little sigh. "Someone get Mingi back in here." She said, her voice stern.

Colonel Gregson hurried outside while the pack looked at her.

Maria tilted her head to the side and closed her eyes as she kept moving her hands.

The door opened and Seonghwa peeked over his shoulder to see the Colonel dragging Mingi in by his collar. If it wasn't for the situation, Seonghwa almost would have laughed because he looked like a pup being dragged around by the scruff of his neck.

Maria stood and crossed her arms, glaring at the alpha. "You should be ashamed of yourself young man." He flinched at her words. "How could you be so cruel to the man you chose as your mate? After what he's been through? I can only guess. Are you a man, or aren't you?"

"You have no idea what I'm feeling right now!" Mingi shouted, finally looking up from the floor.

"And have you taken the time to find out what Seonghwa is feeling?" She snapped, making him flinch again. "I'll take that as a no. Well again you should be ashamed of yourself."

"Maria, please..." Seonghwa whispered, wanting nothing more than to just curl up in a hole and disappear.

"Maria, what are you getting at?" Hongjoong asked, standing next to her.

She sneered at Mingi, her distaste for him evident at this moment. "You have a lot of groveling to do boy. Because that's your baby in there."


	33. 32

Mingi's heart stopped at her words. "Wh..."

Maria continued to glare at him. "Even if that wasn't your baby, you would really shun your mate for something that wasn't his fault and he didn't ask for? I don't think any of these other alphas would do the same thing."

Mingi couldn't even process what was going on right now. "But... Lance..."

"You're going to take his word over mine?"

"Maria, are you sure?" Hongjoong asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She instantly relaxed and nodded.

"Yes, I can sense it. Plus, you weren't gone for that long sweetie." She said, kneeling in front of Seonghwa. "You were only gone a couple of weeks at most. And I'd say that you are at least a month along."

Mingi blinked several times, trying to do the math. If it wasn't Lance, then it... It was when he knotted Seonghwa after trying to be romantic for 'Valentine's Day'. Avayla's birthday.

Seonghwa also looked puzzled. "Only two weeks? It felt so much longer... So I was... I was already pregnant when Lance took me?" He looked up at Maria, who nodded in response.

"Yes, dear."

The room was silent again, but all Mingi could hear was his heart pounding in his head.

He had let Lance win... Even if Lance had believed it was his pup, Mingi had still let him win by manipulating him... Which is exactly what the alpha was after.

"I think we need to give them some time." Yunho said, grunting as he moved to get off the floor. "I want to lay in a bed anyway."

Mingi barely registered Jongho and Hongjoong helping him out of the room, and the others leaving as well as he sank to his knees. His vision was starting to blur.

It was his baby... Not Lance's. His.

He had spent several hours trying to sort out his feelings on this... He had known Seonghwa would want to keep it no matter what. So he knew he was doing the selfish thing by not speaking to him, but that was only because he didn't want to take his anger out on him while he tried to process having to raise that bastard's child...

His baby...

Mingi's breathing started to get faster and he clutched at his chest.

What had he done?

He fell forward and supported his weight on one arm as he stared at the floor.

He was the worst alpha ever... He didn't deserve to be here. He didn't deserve...

A gentle hand brushed against his cheek, making Mingi's arm go weak. He could see knees bending in front of him as someone got down on the floor, but he couldn't bring himself to look up. Even though he knew who it was by the lemon scent that washed over him.

God he loved that smell so much.

His arm started to shake as more pressure was placed on his cheek. Then it gave out and Mingi was bowing before his mate, openly crying now.

He couldn't even bring himself to ask for forgiveness because he knew he didn't deserve it. It had only been a few hours, but he had been such a terrible mate.

Hands softly gripped either side of his head and then he felt Seonghwa's forehead rest on the back of his.

They stayed in this position for a long moment, neither one of them speaking as they came to terms with everything that had happened for the past two weeks.

Mingi tried to control his breathing as his sobs continued.

He could feel Seonghwa shaking too, but he didn't feel like he deserved to even touch him right now. So he kept his head bowed in the best form of submission he knew. An alpha hardly ever submitted to an omega, and that's all he could think of to do right now. He had to give over the control he thought he had on his life.

"I'm so sorry..." He finally whispered with a raspy voice.

Seonghwa moved his hands to lift Mingi's head up slowly. His omega's cheeks and eyes were red from crying along with him, but somehow he still had a smile on his face.

"Don't, don't look at me like that." Mingi moved his head away and stayed on his hands and knees. "I don't deserve it... I was scared and I didn't know what to do... I was too afraid of hurting you... So I thought that avoiding you and taking some time to think things through would fix it..."

"You're such a stubborn alpha sometimes, you know that?" Seonghwa whispered.

Mingi glanced back at his mate and got lost in his watery, piercing blue eyes. He didn't deserve Seonghwa. He knew that deep down in his heart. After all the crap he'd put the omega through, he didn't deserve him. "How can you be so calm right now? You should be throwing things at me. You should be furious. You should hate me."

"You're right. I should be, but I'm not." Seonghwa bit his lip and looked down. "I can't though... Because I knew you'd be furious about this... And now... N-N-Now..." Seonghwa's eyes got wider as the tears came faster. "I alm-m-most killed our b-baby."

At that Mingi scrambled forward and pulled Seonghwa into his arms, holding him as tight as he dared. Images of Seonghwa holding the knife to his own stomach swam before his eyes. He had done it to distract Lance. To try and protect him.

"We didn't know." Mingi whispered. "We didn't know." His words got caught in his throat as they both tried to calm down.

Seonghwa buried his face in Mingi's neck and clung to him while splaying one hand over his stomach.

Mingi placed a hand over his mates and whispered, "It's ok. Our baby is safe. We are home, and we are together."

"I missed you so much Mingi..." Seonghwa whimpered, moving his head to nuzzle against the mark on Mingi's neck.

His wolf instantly churned with happiness, having missed the contact.

"I missed you too... I'm sorry I failed you. I'm supposed to protect you... And I let you get taken again..."

"I think Lance had been planning this for a long time. I wouldn't be surprised if the storms you hit on the mountain were planned by him too. He knew when and how to strike..." Seonghwa let out a little sigh. "He had almost six years to plan."

"Well he's gone now, and he's never going to harm you again." Mingi kissed the top of my head. "And Maria's right. I have a lot of groveling I need to do."

Seonghwa let out a small giggle and moved so he was straddling his alpha. "Groveling sounds nice. But right now, all I want is to feel your arms around me, and your lips on mine" He whispered, running his hand through Mingi's hair. "Life is too short to be mad over something that was neither of our faults in the first place. We are both stubborn by nature."

"Yeah, that's true." Mingi said, feeling a half smile tug at his lips.

"Kiss me, Mingi."

He connected their lips immediately and pulled Seonghwa to him. It felt like it had been years since they had been able to feel each other, and it was pure heaven.

Mingi could feel his wolf churning inside him, urging him to do more, but he wanted to control himself for once. Now was just a time to try to forgive and forget.

Seonghwa seemed to be of the same mindset, because all he did was wrap his arms around Mingi's neck.

"I'm so sorry, Hwa." Mingi whispered into their kiss, needing to say the words again.

"I forgive you. Now please," his omega said, pulling away from the kiss but connecting their foreheads. "Can we move on? We have a baby to prepare for and a daughter who needs us. And a pack to take care of."

"You are too good to me. I don't deserve you. I never have."

"And you probably never will, but here I am." Seonghwa said, leaning forward to kiss Mingi's mating mark one more time. "And I'll be here for as long as you'll have me."

"Forever. I want you forever."

.

.

.

.

The next couple of weeks were chaotic for the pack as they tried to pick up the pieces and put themselves back together.

Jongho did the best he could to work with Hongjoong to keep everything under control.

He was worried for a moment that Wooyoung was going to attack Mingi, but when the eight of them sat down and told their stories and what had happened to them, a blanket of understanding fell over the house and they were all able to move past and frustrations they had with each other.

The biggest problem for them now was making sure Yunho was comfortable. He spent most of his time in bed or laying on the couch, but he would stay in that one area for days at a time before feeling up to moving back to the other one.

Colonel Gregson had promised to send more medication for both him and Wooyoung when he got back to camp. His goodbye was bittersweet for they were all indebted to him for his help. And he told them to give him a call if they ever needed it again.

Theo had become incredibly clingy, never wanting to leave Yunho's side and often crying if Jongho tried to put him down to bed or for a nap, or to even try to feed him. So they let him stay and would bring food to him and let him sleep with Yunho.

The beta didn't mind though, voicing several times how happy he was to be home.

Wooyoung was getting stronger as his legs healed. San would take him for laps around the house to help him work out his muscles and then apply the cream to soothe the burns.

At one point Hongjoong pulled Jongho aside so he could go over everything that happened again. Neither one of them wanted a surprise attack from any known associates. But Jongho was pretty sure no one would come for them.

The leaders of Primera and Ultima were both confirmed dead. Mingi had seen the bodies. And Wooyoung had told off Ultima, making sure they knew he wasn't interested in being their leader.

But the two of them took extra patrol runs just in case for the first two weeks.

A distraction came for them at the perfect time though. Theo's sixth birthday came about a month after they got home and Yunho was strong enough that he could at least sit in a chair for the celebration.

It was just what the pack needed to bring themselves back together.

Maria and Seonghwa worked to make a giant cake and plenty of food for them to all snack on. Kenneth came to join them too and they all sat around the table playing games and just enjoying being together again.

Theo ended up livening the mood even more by throwing a piece of cake at Jongho, squealing happily as it landed on his face and rolled down slowly, leaving a large smear of frosting in its wake.

He returned the favor by using his finger to take a large dollop of cream and rubbing it off on his son's nose, grinning from ear to ear as he giggled and turned around to Yunho to give him a hug, leaving frosting all over his cheek.

Seonghwa stopped things before they got too out of hand and messy, but they spent the day laughing. It was the perfect medicine and perfect moment for all of them.

They were home. They were together. And they were whole.


	34. 33

"Yeosang, you really need to sit down and rest." Hongjoong said, following after his mate with a worried look as Yeosang cleaned the kitchen.

Wooyoung smiled over at them from where he was sitting with Theo working on a puzzle. The alpha was becoming obsessive now that Yeosang was almost seven months pregnant. And Yeosang refused to stop doing things around the house until he absolutely had to. It was a never-ending battle between the two of them.

Seonghwa, on the other hand was definitely struggling with this pregnancy. Maria thought it was because it started off so stressful, now his body was on high alert. And that sign was obvious when he ended up having a panic attack one time when he and Mingi started getting a little too intimate.

That ended with all of them huddled up in the living room trying to reassure him that he was ok, then lots of tears and apologies from the omega, followed by Mingi whisking him off to their room.

Wooyoung thought they were able to still do a little something because things got really quiet after a while.

Maria did everything she could to try and keep Seonghwa calm and relaxed. And he was trying too. The fact that it was actually Mingi's baby was such a relief to all of them, so that helped with things. But Wooyoung understood why his fellow omega was having a hard time.

It took him awhile to feel comfortable with San again after he was raped by his brothers...

He sighed and ran his hands over his legs while Theo tried to figure out where the piece in his hand went. The boy was cooing to himself, his own way of talking without forming words. Wooyoung ruffled his hair and leaned into the back of the couch.

His legs had healed perfectly, although sometimes he still felt the ghost of his burns if he concentrated hard enough.

Yunho was another story. While his back had scarred nicely, according to Maria, it was evident that he still had a lot of internal healing to do. He could walk on his own now, but there were times that his back would spasm and his muscles would seize, forcing him to the floor. He had managed to keep his screaming under control now, but the first two times he scared everyone, thinking someone was attacking him.

The beta couldn't stay standing or sitting for long periods of time either, and patrols were out unless they were just scouting part of the territory. That was the other thing... His shifting was painful. The first few times he tried, he had to stop and go back because it put too much strain on his back.

The wound had definitely taken some of Yunho's spark away.

And now Wooyoung knew he was going to make it worse...

"Theo!" Avayla called as she came running into the room.

The boy lifted his head and smiled. He always seemed to know when she was calling for him even though he couldn't hear. She ran to his side and leaned over to look at the puzzle, pointing to the empty space where his piece went. Theo clapped his hands and looked up at Wooyoung with proud eyes.

"Good job!" Wooyoung praised, pulling the boy into his lap and getting a big hug in return. "Hey, want to go for a ride?" He asked, more to Avayla, but Theo seemed to understand all the same and patted Wooyoung's cheek.

The three of them made their way outside into the beautiful, spring air. Wooyoung took a deep breath, loving the smell of the new growth in the area.

He quickly stripped and shifted, turning his head to lick both of the kid's noses before crouching down. Avayla got on first, with Theo behind her. He wrapped his arms around her stomach as she fisted Wooyoung's fur. Both cheered as he trotted down the stairs and started taking laps around the house.

This was for him as much as it was for the kids. His stress levels were on the rise and spending time with them really helped to relax him.

But he also hogged time with them for selfish reasons.

He didn't know how much time he would have with them...

A howl sounded from his left, and Wooyoung looked to see San and Jongho running out of the trees. They both came to his side immediately and nuzzled his neck in greeting.

_How are the kids?_ Jongho asked, looked at his son and tilting his head.

_Fine, Jongho._ Wooyoung said with an amused tone. _Everyone is doing fine._

The alpha nipped at his ear playfully before licking Theo's face. The boy giggled and patted his dad's head before poking Wooyoung's side, indicating he wanted to keep going.

Jongho let out a rumbling chuckle before walking slowly back to the house.

That was his mistake.

San crouched low and wriggled a little before pouncing on the other alpha, sending them both to the ground where they wrestled with each other for several minutes.

Wooyoung just shook his head before continuing his usual path.

They stopped by the garden where he stopped to check on the herbs growing there. They smelled strong, which Maria said was the sign that they were ready.

It was time.

.

.

.

.

Yunho exhaled slowly as he bent forward even slower, concentrating on the stretching of his muscles.

"Good." Kenneth said as he ran his hands over the taller's back. "Good, they don't feel as warm today. How are you feeling?"

"A little looser. I do every day." Yunho groan as he slowly rolled his body back into a standing position. Sweat was already dripping from his forehead just from the few stretches Kenneth was walking him through, but he knew it was necessary in order for him to heal properly.

Kenneth nodded as he worked his thumbs in circles along either side of Yunho's scar, trying to keep the muscles there lose. The beta had been a huge help in his recovery, Yunho didn't know what he would do without him. "Good, that's a sign that your body is healing. I don't know if you'll ever be back to full health again, but you look much better than you did a few months ago."

"I feel better too. Physically at least." He said, rubbing the back of his head while glancing at the older man in the mirror.

"I know, we are all there. But this was decided a long time ago. So let's try to stay positive and enjoy the evening ahead of us, yes? Maria and I are going to be here every step of the way."

Yunho nodded and moved to grab his shirt. Kenneth watched as he slowly worked it onto his body. He still couldn't lift his arm all the way, so slipping a shirt over his head was a one handed job for part of it. But Yunho managed.

The two of them walked out into the living room and Yunho smiled when he saw Wooyoung laying on the floor between Theo and Avayla. They all had a coloring page in front of them, and Wooyoung's was just as messy as the kids.

When Theo sensed he was in the room, his son immediately popped up and ran over to him. Yunho picked him up with his left arm and nestled him on his hip before placing a large kiss on his cheek. "How's my boy doing?" He whispered, rubbing their noses together.

Theo tapped his own chest and smiled. He was doing good and was happy right now. Then he leaned forward and rested his head against Yunho's chest and cooed as they walked into the kitchen.

Maria turned when she heard them and placed her hands on her hips. "Well there's my special boy! Are you ready to help me with dinner?" She said, leaning forward to look at Theo before motioning to a bowl on the counter.

He nodded quickly as Yunho set him on the counter, standing next to him while handing him the bowl. It had some sauce that she was making, that was probably already done, but Theo liked participating in things, so he would often be put in charge of a bowl he could stir.

Which he happily did, watching with wide eyes as the sauce sloshed around in the bowl.

Maria chuckled, then looked at Yunho. "How are you doing, honey?"

"Fine." Yunho said, not looking away from Theo.

The female hummed in response and returned to the elk fillets she was preparing. Yeosang came in a few minutes later, followed closely by Hongjoong, who was carrying a tray of dried herbs. "Where do you want these Maria?"

"Just on the counter. I'll add them in just a few minutes, I'm just waiting for the mixture to boil." She said, moving to check on a large covered pot on the stove. "It's almost there. How about you take this out to the grill, Theo's got the sauce for it."

Hongjoong nodded and took the food outside. Yeosang sighed as he went to sit on the couch to watch Wooyoung and Avayla color.

Theo made small grabbing hands at Yunho, so he turned and moved him to ground so he could run back and join them.

The back door opened again and Mingi came in, followed by Seonghwa, who went to sit next to Yeosang on the couch, groaning as he did.

"Hey Yunho, how'd stretching go?" The alpha asked, moving to lean against the counter with him.

"It went good, Kenneth said that my muscles are loosening up so I just need to keep at it."

"Good, make sure you don't slack on doing it." Mingi said, leaving the unspoken statement hanging in the air.

Yunho sighed. "I won't. I know you guys will keep on me too."

"Yes we will." Mingi placed a hand on his shoulder and kept it there as they stood in a comfortable silence.

"Jongho and San still out for a run?" Yunho asked after a while.

Mingi hummed and glanced at the door. "I think Hongjoong is going to call them back soon though. So we can all have a nice evening together."

And they did. All twelve of them sat in the backyard around some tables they had shoved together and just enjoyed the company. There were a few awkward silences that passed over them, but someone always forced out a joke or a new topic to talk about.

As the sun started to set, Yunho was having a harder time keeping his emotions under control.

Theo came to sit with him, resting his head on Yunho's shoulder as he started to doze off.

Avayla was headed that direction too, so Mingi pulled her from her chair and made his way into the house.

Yunho went to follow him, and Wooyoung jumped up as well. "I'll come. I want to say goodnight." The younger said.

Theo cooed when he saw Wooyoung walking next to them and reached for him.

The omega happily took him and kissed his cheek. "Bed time my boy, come on." He said, holding Theo tighter.

The two of them got Theo situated in bed and Wooyoung gave him one last, long kiss on the forehead. "He's so perfect."

"Yeah, he is." Yunho whispered, reaching for Wooyoung's hand. They walked out of the room and shut the door gently before he pulled the younger into a hug. "And so are you. You don't have to do this." He said into the top of Wooyoung's head. He could feel the tears that had been building up all day coming.

"Yes I do. I'll never be happy unless I try." Wooyoung whispered back, pressing his forehead into the taller's chest. "I'm strong. I can do this. Hell, apparently I could rule a pack if I wanted too." He added, making them both chuckle.

They made their way back into the living room and were greeted by the other six members of their pack.

Everyone surrounded Wooyoung, each taking their turn to try and convince him not to do this, but also passing on their acceptance of his choice.

"It's going to be ok. I have faith I can do this. Just promise me one thing." Wooyoung said, looking at each of them. "You won't let this stop you from living. You have kids to take care of, with two more on the way. I do not need the guilt of something happening to those kids, or so help me I will haunt you from the grave."

Everyone flinched at his attempt at a joke, but still gave him a smile anyway.

"Please. It's going to be so much easier for me if I know you are still going to take time for yourselves. I want to hear at least one of you screaming your mate's name." The omega said, winking at them and drawing a nervous laugh. "I especially need you guys to take care of San." He added, his voice getting softer now.

His mate rushed forward and pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tight. "Let's not talk about that." San whimpered.

"No, I need you guys to promise. Please." Wooyoung said, his voice getting hard.

"We promise, Woo." Jongho said, reaching for Yunho's hand as his voice cracked.

Everyone else nodded as well and they all moved into another group hug.

Then Maria cleared her throat. Kenneth had an arm around her shoulders as they both looked at them nervously. "Are we ready?"

Wooyoung stepped forward and looked at the glass of white liquid in Maria's shaking hand. "Yes, I'm ready."


	35. 34

San stayed by Wooyoung's side as they followed Maria out to a small cabin that they had hired some contractors to come build a few yards away from the main house. It would give the omega the privacy he wanted, without him being too far away for the others to come help when needed.

Not that San wouldn't be by his mate's side the entire time. He knew Wooyoung was going to need his love and support.

Once inside the small, cozy cabin, San and Wooyoung sat on the bed while Maria and Kenneth stood off to the side, holding hands and looking at each other.

"Ok," Maria sighed. "You already know what to expect, but I just want to go over it again... This is your last chance to back out Wooyoung. This isn't going to be an easy journey for you. Your body is going to try and reject every single drop of this potion we give you, more like force into you. There will be a point that you will beg us not to take it..." Her voice caught in her throat. San knew she was remembering when she had been through this herself, and watched others die when trying to take it.

He wrapped his arms around his omega and held him tight.

"We will do the best we can to keep you calm and secluded." Kenneth said, taking over. "It's going to be what's best for you, and for the kids. I know they are going to want to come see you, but-"

"I know. I might hurt them during one of my fits. I don't want them to be cut off completely though, you said I will have good moments, right?" Wooyoung asked, sitting up a little straighter.

San couldn't believe how calm he was about all this. It was like Wooyoung wasn't worried at all about the fact that this could kill him. A small whimper escaped San's throat at the thought and Wooyoung turned to kiss the top of his head.

"Yes, there will be the occasional day that your body will be too tired to fight the potion. Those will be the days that we will want to up the dosage to get more in your system. But that also means the following days will most likely be even worse." Kenneth said, chewing on his bottom lip. "We will also make sure that you eat and drink other fluids, and Maria is prepared to try and hook up an IV if we need to, although I don't know how well that will work for you..."

"We can cross that bridge when we get there. And the others know what to expect. Mingi and Hongjoong are prepared to step in where needed." Wooyoung said, patting San's arm.

The alpha closed his eyes and hid his face in Wooyoung's neck. They were the ones who would force Wooyoung to drink the potion if needed. San had already talked to them about it because he was worried he wouldn't be able to keep himself together to do it.

Kenneth nodded. "Do you have any other questions for us then?" When the mated pair shook their heads, he set the glass down on the night stand. "I don't know how long it will take for this to get in your system, it's different for everyone, but we will all be here for you."

"I know, thank you." Wooyoung said, standing to give both betas a hug.

San nodded to them as they stepped out of the cabin.

A blanket of silence fell over them as Wooyoung came to sit next to him again. "Sannie?" He asked in a small voice.

San turned his head to look at his mate, his love, his life. "I'm ok..."

Wooyoung moved so he could sit on San's lap, straddling him as he wrapped his arms around San's neck. "It's going to be ok. Either way... It's going to be ok San."

"How can you be so sure? You know it could kill you." San stared at his chest, afraid he would burst into tears if he made eye contact.

But Wooyoung lifted his chin and San felt his heart melting at the soft smile he saw on his omega's face. "Because I have survived a lot that should have killed me. And because I'll have you by my side to give me strength." He leaned forward and connected their lips.

San let out a little whimper as butterflies erupted in his stomach, same as they did every time he kissed his mate. He fell back on the bed so his legs were still bent over the side, bringing Wooyoung with him. They kept their lips locked together for several minutes before Wooyoung finally pulled back and rubbed the side of San's face. "I love you."

"I love you too." San whispered, pushing himself into a sitting position again while keeping Wooyoung on his lap. Then he grabbed the glass off the table and stared at the milky white liquid. It had an almost iridescent look to it, the only thing that made it look different from milk...

He let out a short sigh, then passed the glass to Wooyoung.

The omega took in and also paused. "To us." He whispered, locking eyes with San one more time before gulping down the drink.

.

.

.

.

After getting a message from San saying that Wooyoung had taken the drink, Jongho walked into the kitchen and set a timer.

They were going to start things off slow and start by giving Wooyoung another glass every six hours to slowly work it into his system. Maria said that would be best so it didn't overwhelm him all at once.

Then he turned to where Yunho was working with Theo and Avayla. They had work books in front of them teaching them how to read and write. He could see the stress written all over his mate's face, but they all needed to work to get over this.

Wooyoung wanted this. He wanted to try... And they would support him.

Jongho sat next to Theo, earning a bright smile and a pat from his son before he turned back to his workbook. They were learning larger words now, and Yunho had found a special book that came with a lot of pictures for Theo so he could see what the word was attached to and register it since he couldn't hear descriptions of objects.

He ran a hand through his son's hair, loving that it was looking more and more like Yunho's every day as they sat there and worked.

After a few hours, Hongjoong came into the room with a pained look on his face and looked out the back door.

Then Jongho felt it too. A searing pain coming through the pack link.

A scream could be heard, making all of them wince, and Hongjoong spun around to cover Avayla's ears.

Jongho felt like a piece of him was being ripped apart as another scream came. This time it was gargled and cut off early.

Kenneth came hurrying into the room to grab one of the buckets that had been filled with supplies and rushed outside.

Jongho glanced at Yunho, whose face as scrunched in pain, and stood to kiss his forehead before going out to follow Kenneth.

The inside of the cabin was already a mess.

San was sitting next to Wooyoung, rubbing his back slowly as the omega clutched his sides and rocked back and forth. The white liquid was running out of his mouth on either side and Kenneth was kneeling on the floor in front of him. "Deep breaths Wooyoung. You've got this." The beta said, holding onto the now empty bucket.

Wooyoung whimpered but nodded several times before he leaned forward and threw up into the bucket.

"That's it."

Jongho moved to sit on Wooyoung's other side, wrapping an arm gently around his side. He could feel the omega take a deep, shuddering breath before he screamed and tightened his grip on his own stomach while clenching his teeth and throwing his head back.

A second scream forced its way out before he leaned forward and purged again.

Jongho felt his stomach churn at the smell, but he knew he had to stay strong.

When he was done, Wooyoung accepted the towel from Kenneth with a grateful smile. He wiped his mouth and leaned into San's shoulder, not speaking.

And really there was nothing that needed to be said. This was just the beginning.

Wooyoung seemed to be doing better for now, He even had a small smile on his face.

"Take this time to rest." Kenneth said, patting the omega's knees. "But once you feel up to it, go ahead and take the next dose. San you may need to help him." The beta said before leaving the cabin.

Jongho lifted a hand and ran it through Wooyoung's hair gently. He heard the older hum as he leaned into the touch. "I'm ok, Jongho." He murmured, not opening his eyes.

"I know." He answered softly, looking at San, who looked like he was having a hard time keeping himself together.

Then a soft sound came from Wooyoung and both alphas looked at him. He had fallen asleep and was unconsciously nuzzling San with his cheek. They both couldn't help but smile at the sudden change from the omega.

Jongho lifted Wooyoung up so that San could lay down on the bed, then he lowered the omega down and he instantly curled up into San's arms.

Without saying anything, San patted the bed, giving Jongho the invitation to stay.

He couldn't pass it up, so he laid down behind Wooyoung and wrapped an arm around his waist. His nose pressed carefully into the back of Wooyoung's neck as he closed his eyes and breathed in his lavender scent.

One of San's hands drifted so it was resting on Jongho's arm so they were all connected it some way.

He felt his wolf stir with happiness as he held onto the omega that captured his heart, and felt the acceptance coming from his alpha.

They would get through this. He needed to stay strong for everyone's sake.

After about an hour, Jongho woke up to feel Wooyoung moving to sit up in bed. The omega stretched, then rubbed his stomach before humming as San reached up to brush his cheek.

Then he turned and smiled at Jongho before leaning over to take the next dose that had been sealed in an individual bottle.

After he chugged it down, Jongho placed a kiss on his cheek before walking out of the cabin and back to the main house.

Both Yeosang and Seonghwa were set up on the couch, with Maria kneeling in front of the beta with her hands on his stomach. "Are you sure you don't want to know what the gender is?" She asked him again, as she did every time she examined him."

"Yes, we want it to be a surprise." Yeosang chuckled as he closed his eyes and leaned back on the couch.

"What about you?" She asked, moving over to Seonghwa. "You're at about that time."

"Mingi? What do you think? And what about you Avayla?" Seonghwa asked, looking between the two.

"I want to know!" Avayla cheered, hopping up and down. "Theo does too!"

The little boy nodded several times before reaching for Yunho to be picked up. The beta walked over to Jongho and leaned into him as the alpha wrapped his arms carefully around him.

"I'm fine with knowing." Mingi said, bending over the back of the couch to kiss the top of Seonghwa's head.

With their approval, Maria placed her hands on Seonghwa's stomach and closed her eyes. She moved her hands slowly, a soft smile crossing her face.

"Well? What is it?" Mingi asked, squeezing Seonghwa's shoulders gently as he bounced on the balls of his feel.

Maria chuckled. "It's a boy."


	36. 35

As the days passed, everyone did the best they could to stay happy. And really, it was hard not to with two more babies on the way.

Yeosang spent a lot of his time in the nursery that used to be Theo's getting it ready for his own baby. Hongjoong had offered to buy all new things for the room, but that seemed wasteful. The crib was still in perfect condition, as were a few of the toys.

Although he and Seonghwa did have fun going into town with their mates to shop for toys and a few new pieces of clothes.

Since Yeosang didn't know what the gender was, he planned on reusing either Avayla's or Theo's old clothes for now. Then he would go shopping and spoil the baby rotten.

He still couldn't believe that he and Hongjoong were going to have a baby. They had joked about it ever since they were kids, playing pretend and talking about how they would be mated one day.

Then when he never got pregnant while being held at Alpha Pack, Yeosang started to have that fear creep in that he wouldn't be able to get pregnant.

He was glad Maria had been there for him to reassure him that he could. She really knew what she was doing.

Hongjoong had offered for her and Kenneth to join their pack once everyone was back home again as a thank you for everything they had done, but they respectfully declined. It didn't really surprise anyone, but they had wanted to extend the offer.

Yeosang smiled as the door opened behind him, already knowing who it was as Hongjoong walked up behind him and rested his head on the younger's shoulder. "Hello love. What are you doing?"

"Just messing around. I think Seonghwa called it 'nesting'? I just wanted to be in here for a bit and make sure we weren't missing anything."

Hongjoong let out a low chuckle as he wrapped his arms around his mate and rubbed the sides of his stomach, smiling when their baby started to kick in response. "I'm sure we have everything. And it's not like we can't send someone out to grab it if we don't." He said before placing gentle kisses along Yeosang's neck.

He tilted his head to the side and closed his eyes, loving the chills that ran through his entire body at the attention. "Joong..." He whispered as his alpha ran one hand up over his chest.

Then a familiar scream filled the air and they both looked at the window.

Yeosang's heart dropped at the sound, as it did every time.

They had upped Wooyoung's intake of the potion to every two hours per Kenneth's suggestion. He was worried that enough of it wasn't getting absorbed into Wooyoung's system...

"No! Please!" His faint cry came from the cabin.

Hongjoong swore and turned his head away, so Yeosang turned to face him and placed a hand on his cheek. "Go, they need you. San could probably use a break too. I'll be fine in here."

His alpha nodded quickly before running from the room.

As soon as he left, Yeosang sank down into the rocking chair his mate had bought him and closed his eyes, trying to slow his beating heart.

This was the hardest part with the timing of everything. Yeosang had to work extra hard to stay calm. He and Seonghwa both.

He reached over and opened the top drawer of the dresser and pulled out a pair of ear plugs.

Silencing the screams helped...

.

.

.

.

Hongjoong saw Mingi duck into the cabin right before he got there. It was good the other alpha had come because it looked like Wooyoung was in rough shape.

San had him pinned to the bed, silent tears running down his face as he worked to try and calm his mate down. He was using his own legs to hold Wooyoung's down, while his hand were wrapped around the younger's wrists.

Then omega was thrashing below him, white liquid dripping from his mouth as his face twisted in pain.

San managed to look over at them for a second and Hongjoong could see the fear and pain written all over his face.

"It's ok, San, we are here. Mingi?"

The taller immediately nodded and quickly took San's spot on top of Wooyoung.

"Please, no more! I can't take it!" The younger screamed.

Hongjoong gritted his teeth as he pulled the stopper out of the bottle sitting next to the bed. "I know, Youngie, but you can't stop now. You told us to not let you stop. Think of the baby."

"It hurts too much..." He whimpered, trying to shake Mingi off. Then he saw Hongjoong getting closer. "Please! No! Aaaah!" He screamed as he tried to curl up in a ball.

San ran to his head and placed his hands on either side. "Wooyoung listen to me. You can do this. I need you to take the potion, ok? I'm right here."

Hongjoong couldn't help but smile at the younger alpha. How he kept his voice so calm and steady right now, he had no idea, but it must have worked. Wooyoung whimpered again but looked up and forced out, "Sannie..."

At that, Hongjoong walked forward. "Are you ready?"

Wooyoung closed his eyes and opened his mouth, his lower lip trembling.

Slowly, Hongjoong poured the potion down his throat so he didn't choke on it as he tried to drink it. He had told him it didn't taste bad, so the actual drinking wasn't bad. It was the psychological side of it that made it difficult because his body knew to expect pain now every time he drank it.

All three alphas watched as Wooyoung drank, keeping his eyes closed the entire time. Once the liquid was gone, Hongjoong leaned over to wipe the sides of Wooyoung's mouth with a towel.

Mingi slowly slid off him as they all waited for him to react. They never knew how instant it was going to be anymore with how frequently he was taking the serum now.

Sometimes it wasn't until right at the two hour mark that he started reacting. No one knew if that was him trying to fight it, or if his body was actually starting to accept it. But that was rare that he made it this long.

And this wasn't one of those times.

Wooyoung's entire body started to shake as the liquid started dribbling out of his mouth again. He didn't make any sound, but he shook his head back and forth rapidly, throwing San's hands off.

Hongjoong jumped forward, beating San there to pull Wooyoung up into a sitting position and hugged him from behind while rubbing his chest and stomach.

Mingi pulled San to him, trying to give the other alpha a bit of comfort too. Hongjoong could tell it helped a little because San buried his face in Mingi's chest and his shoulders started to shake.

Wooyoung started to calm down too as Hongjoong held him, quietly shushing him and he continued to rub the omega.

He leaned over at one point to grab the towel, cleaning up his face gently. "San, why don't you go inside and get some food and try to sleep. I'll stay with him."

"But-"

"Hongjoong is right, come on." Mingi said softly, wrapping an arm around San's shoulders and leading him from the cabin.

Now that it was just the two of them, Hongjoong sighed and leaned into the wall, pulling the younger with him.

A few whimpers would escape Wooyoung's mouth as his body fought the potion, but now that it had expelled some of it he seemed to be doing a little better.

When the omega finally stopped shaking and his breathing evened out, Hongjoong slowly lowered him to the bed. He kept his arms wrapped protectively around Wooyoung.

They would get through this. None of them would give up until a clear end was in sight. Even if it was the worst one...

.

.

.

.

As the weeks passed, the house started to grow a little tense again.

Yeosang was drawing closer and closer to his due date, so Maria was watching him like a hawk because of the small signs of stress he would show.

None of them faulted him though. Wooyoung wasn't showing any signs of getting better. San always looked tired and he was losing weight. One of the alphas would have to force him to leave the cabin to eat and sleep, which he usually passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

The kids had stopped asking to visit Wooyoung too. They knew something was wrong so they tended to flock to San whenever he was in the house to show their support.

Theo would spend a lot of time staring out the window while they sat in the living room.

Then one day they got a pleasant surprise.

Yeosang was sitting in his rocking chair, trying to calm himself after a particularly violent bought with Wooyoung caused San to come in with a black eye.

_Wooyoung?_

He sat up and looked around, thinking he must have imagined the voice.

_What's wrong with Wooyoung?_

A glass shattered in the other room, causing Yeosang to push himself out of the chair and hustle as fast as he could down the hallway.

Yunho was on his knees, one hand covering his mouth as he stared at Theo. The little boy turned to his mom and tilted his head. _Mama, what's wrong?_

"Did he?" Yeosang asked, pointing at the boy.

_Theo?_ Yunho said through the pack link.

The boy flashed a smile identical to Yunho's as he ran forward and threw his arms around the beta's neck. _Mama I heard you! I heard you!_

Yeosang leaned against the counter on shaky legs as he fought the tears coming to his eyes. None of them knew what would happen when the pack link opened for Theo, if he would know how to talk or if he even could.

Jongho came running into the room, nearly tripping as he pulled on his pants. He must have been out on patrol and came hurrying back because he was still out of breath.

The alpha slide across the floor to envelope his family in a tight hug.

_Papa!_

Jongho let out a very uncharacteristically loud sob as he pulled Theo into his arms.

_Welcome to the pack, little Theo._ Hongjoong said, stepping through the back door with a wide smile on his face.

_Baby, how did you know?_ Yunho gently rubbed his son's head.

_I could hear for a long time. But I couldn't form the words._

"Theo!" Avayla's squeal came from down the hall. "Theo! Theo!" She barreled into him, sending the two rolling on the floor.

_Ava!_ He giggled as she tickled his side.

"Theo your voice is so cute!" She said.

Everyone laughed along with the kids as they continued to play with each other. Mingi and Seonghwa had appeared next to Yeosang shortly after Avayla came running in, smiling down at their daughter happily.

She had been showing the signs of forming the pack link as well, and they had known for some time now that she was starting to hear them when they communicated with each other. Now it was time to start working on her speaking too.

But she was right. Theo's voice was the sweetest thing any of them had heard in a long time.

Especially because their joy was broken by another strangled scream.

Theo rose off the ground and walked into Yunho's arms, burying his face in his chest. _What's wrong with Uncle Woo?_

Yunho and Jongho exchanged a glance between them, and then Hongjoong, who just nodded.

_Uncle Woo is sick, sweetie._ Jongho said slowly as Yunho's lip started to tremble. _He is trying to take medicine to get better, but his body doesn't like it._

_It makes his tummy upset?_

_Yes. It makes his tummy very upset_. Hongjoong said, kneeling next to the family. _But it's something he needs to take so he can have a baby._

_Like Uncle Sangie and Uncle Hwa?_ Theo glanced at the two pregnant males with wide, inquisitive eyes.

_You're such a bright boy._ Hongjoong praised, tilting his head and smiling. _Uncle Woo wants to be able to have a baby too._

Theo nodded slowly, then looked back at Yunho. _I like this, Mama._ He said while patting the beta's cheek.

Yunho smiled at him and nodded before bringing Theo into a tight hug. _I like it too, baby. I am so proud of you._

Avayla giggled next to them and wrapped her arms around Theo from behind, joining in on the group hug that was slowly forming.


	37. 36

"No! Please! I can't..." Wooyoung shouted as he thrashed back and forth on the bed.

"Yes you can Wooyoung. You are doing so good. Keep being strong for us." Hongjoong said as he stroked the omega's head while Mingi pinned him down. "You have to keep fighting through it Wooyoung. Come on, calm down for me. You need to take this."

"Please Joongie... I can't take it anymore. I want the pain to stop." Wooyoung whimpered, still trying to get Mingi off him. "I want San... Where's Sannie?"

"San's inside sleeping." Mingi said, gritting his teeth as Wooyoung kept squirming beneath him. "You are the one who wanted to take this potion, and we promised to help you. We can't stop now Wooyoung." He kept his voice calm and gentle.

Hongjoong kept running his hand through Wooyoung's hair. He was slowly calming down. "You want a baby, right?" It was the go-to question that always seemed to get Wooyoung to calm down.

The younger let out another whimper and forced his eyes closed while opening his mouth. Hongjoong quickly tilted the bottle and poured the white liquid down his throat.

He was starting to make progress. At least they thought he was. The screaming had gotten worse, but the omega had stopped throwing up as often. There were still a few times that he ended up throwing up the potion shortly after taking it, but it was only a couple times a day now. And he could usually take another batch right after and keep it down just fine.

Maria said that was a good sign. His body was accepting it more, but he wasn't out of the woods yet. As long as he was still in pain, then the serum was still being rejected. Plus the sign that it would still leak out of the corners of his mouth wasn't good either.

As Hongjoong finished pouring the liquid, he sensed something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He straightened up slowly and turned his head slowly.

"What is it?" Mingi asked.

The bottle dropped from Hongjoong's hand and clinked against the floor as he bolted from the cabin.

"Hongjoong?!" Mingi shouted after him, but he didn't answer. He had to get in the house.

His feet carried him across the grass, up the deck, and through the back door.

The others called to him as he ran but he didn't hear them as he ran to his room and threw the door open. "Sangie!"

His love was leaning over, groaning while holding his stomach. Maria was already by his side. "J-Joong..." He whimpered as his face scrunched up in pain.

"I'm here love." He turned to Maria. "What can I do?"

"Keep him comfortable. His Braxton Hicks didn't last for very long so we are already jumping in head first." She said, giving him a tense smile. "I'm going to go get some towels and some ice." She said before bustling out of the room.

"Oh! Will you send someone out to check on Mingi and Wooyoung?" Hongjoong asked.

"Kenneth is on his way there now." She winked before closing the door behind her.

Hongjoong grabbed onto Yeosang's forearms to help support him as his contraction faded and he could finally stand up straight again. "Are you ok?"

Yeosang hissed through his teeth but nodded quickly. "I'm fine... Seonghwa tried to warn me, but this isn't even close to what I imagined."

"Well he will be going through it again here soon." Hongjoong leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "What can I get you?"

"Nothing right now. I'm just glad you're here." His beta whispered while leaning into his chest.

"I'm always here with you." Hongjoong said while kissing the top of his head. "Do you feel like walking a bit? Do you want to see anyone?"

"No, just you and Maria. And walking so-" Yeosang cut himself off with a groan as he bent forward again.

"Ok honey, breath through it." Hongjoong coached as he too went through their breathing exercises. He got a grateful smile from his beta as his contractions started to subside. "Good job love."

This went on for several hours and late into the night. Yeosang's contractions, while powerful and painful, never seemed to want to get closer together. It was obvious that he was getting tired too. His skin was pale and he was covered in sweat, but he managed to keep his spirit up.

Hongjoong got occasional updates from the rest of the pack. Wooyoung was still fighting taking the medicine, but he was calming down a little faster now that San was awake again.

The kids had been put to bed some time ago, and now everyone was just waiting.

But still the hours passed by without Yeosang getting any further along.

"Alright," Maria said after checking to see how dilated he was. "I'm going to go make something to induce labor. You're wearing yourself out and we can't afford for you to be too tired when it comes time to push." She nodded a couple of times before hurrying from the room.

Hongjoong pressed a long kiss to the side of Yeosang's head.

"I want this to be over." His beta whimpered as he squeezed Hongjoong's hand.

"I know, Maria is going to help. She will be back soon."

"Why..." Yeosang groaned as his head fell back. "Why couldn't mine be like Yunho's? Wasn't his... only a couple of hours?"

"Don't think about that Sangie. You're doing great, and our baby will be here soon." The alpha whispered as he grabbed a piece of ice and slipped it into his mate's mouth. Then he grabbed another one and ran it over his lips.

Maria returned a short time later with a bowl full of smoking herbs. She waved her hand over it to blow the smoke in Yeosang's direction. "Inhale deeply honey. We need to get this into your lungs."

Yeosang nodded a couple of times, then took a few deep, shuddering breaths through his nose.

The affect was instant because it send him into another contraction. "That's what we want to see!" Maria cheered, setting the bowl down on the dresser. "Ok we should be able to get started soon."

"I sure hope so, I don't know how much longer I can do this." Yeosang whimpered.

"I know honey, you're doing so good." Maria patted his leg several times before getting an armful of towels and getting everything set up.

The smoke really did help though, because Yeosang's contractions got closer together at a steady rate. He cried out as a particularly strong one came and clung to Hongjoong, making the alpha wince but he would deal with it.

Finally, Maria gave him the sign to start pushing, and Yeosang did so without any hesitation. His free hand fisted the sheets next to him as his head fell back onto the pillows.

Hongjoong did his best not to focus on the pain too. With their bond, he felt Yeosang's pain a lot more than Mingi or Jongho did while their mates gave birth. But he would shoulder the pain because he had to. It was dull compared to what his mate must actually be feeling.

"That's it, you're almost there! I can see something, push honey!" Maria encouraged, bending over. "Push honey, push!"

Yeosang tucked in his chin and yelled as he strained his entire body. He couldn't keep it up for long though.

Hongjoong could see that he was getting weaker. He had to have been in labor for well over twelve hours now so it was understandable.

"Come on baby, you need to keep pushing. You've got this." Hongjoong said, gripping his beta's hand. "Yeosang you need to keep pushing."

Honey-brown eyes met his as a determined looked crossed Yeosang's face. He nodded once and took a deep breath and started pushing again. Hongjoong pressed their foreheads together as tears rolled down the younger's cheek.

After several more minutes, Maria cheered as the head came out, and both she and Hongjoong spoke words of praise while also encouraging Yeosang to keep going. All he had to do was get the shoulders out and he would be smooth sailing from there.

Yeosang let out an exasperated sigh and slumped into the pillows, panting heavily, but he started pushing again without anyone having to tell him to.

Suddenly, Maria was crying with joy as she guided the baby the rest of the way out and wrapped it in a towel.

Hongjoong was dying to see his baby, but he turned back to his exhausted mate first and kissed his forehead several times. "I'm so proud of you. You did it my love."

Yeosang gazed up at him with hooded eyes and an exhausted smile on his face as he lay there panting. "Joong..." He whispered. "Where..?"

"I'm right here honey." Maria said, walking over to them with their baby wrapped in a soft blanket.

.

.

.

.

Seonghwa couldn't sleep anymore, no matter how hard he tried. Yeosang's delivery had been the longest one so far, and he was worried about how his friend was doing.

And because he couldn't sleep, Mingi didn't either.

They sat in their bed, Seonghwa leaning back into Mingi's chest while his alpha drew random words over his exposed stomach.

The omega smiled as Mingi traced the words 'I love you' before moving on to trace something else. Then he closed his eyes and turned his head so he could nuzzle into Mingi's neck.

He loved quiet moments like these. Avayla and Theo were in with Jongho and Yunho because their room was on the other side of the house. They were both curious about the new baby and they had tried for several hours to get into the room to watch.

"What are you thinking about?" Mingi asked while still running a finger over the omega's stomach.

"You." Seonghwa hummed, rubbing his nose against the mark on Mingi's neck.

His alpha let out a low rumble in response and tightened his hold he had on Seonghwa with his other arm.

"I've been thinking of baby names." Seonghwa whispered.

"Oh?"

"What do you think of Gunner?" Seonghwa opened his eyes and looked up.

Mingi arched an eyebrow. "What made you come up with that name?"

"Well... I actually wanted to do it in honor of Colonel Gregson." He said, a slight blush coming to his cheeks as Mingi stopped moving his hand. "O-Only if you want to, of course. I just thought... He helped you save me t-twice and-"

Mingi cut him off by moving suddenly and connecting their lips in a deep, passionate kiss as he started to rub the omega's stomach again. Then he moved down and kissed different spots on Seonghwa's stomach while whispering, "Hello Gunner."

His lips tickled Seonghwa as they brushed against his skin. "So you like it?"

"I love it precious." Mingi said, connecting their lips one more time.

A soft knock on the door interrupted them and Maria poked her head in.

The pair sat up immediately and looked at her with wide eyes.

"Why don't you come to the living room?" She said before retreating out of sight.

Mingi got up first and turned to pull Seonghwa out of bed, then protectively wrapped an arm around his waist.

When they arrived in the living room, both Hongjoong and Yeosang were sitting on the couch, looking down at their new baby.

Seonghwa started to walk faster, earning a slight scolding from Mingi as he saw Jongho and Yunho walk in with the kids.

Hongjoong lifted his head and smiled. His eyes sparkled with so much pride as he glanced first at Yeosang, then down at their baby.

Yeosang also had a proud look in his eyes, even though he could barely keep them open. "Hi guys."

"Uncle Sangie!!" Avayla squealed. She broke free from Jongho's grip and ran forward, crawling onto the couch to sit next to the couple.

Hongjoong held up his arm to keep her away. "Careful Ava, babies are very delicate and Uncle Sangie is very tired."

She nodded in understanding and moved to the side to make room for Theo as he settled next to her with wide eyes.

Everyone else moved closer, waiting for the pair to say something. The baby was perfect, and it somehow managed to inherit Yeosang's birthmark, which Hongjoong was caressing gently. It had Hongjoong's cute nose and it looked like it might have Yeosang's sharp jaw, but everything else was a perfect mix of both parents.

"Guys?" Hongjoong said, forcing himself to look at his pack. "Meet our son. Riley."


	38. 37

"How's he doing today?" Yunho asked as Jongho walked back into the house. His mate sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I think he's doing ok. He's still in a lot of pain."

Yunho chewed on his bottom lip and glanced at the back door. It had been almost six months now since Wooyoung had started taking the potion and he had yet to leave the cabin for more than a few hours.

Things were looking up. He hadn't thrown up the serum in a month, and it didn't run out of his mouth as much anymore either. But he said that it still felt like it burned his insides every time he took it.

Maria was optimistic though. She said if all it was doing was burning then that was normally a sign that his body was actually healing himself. But she did warn that he wasn't out of the woods yet. There was still a small chance that the potion could suddenly attack him again, and if that happened he wouldn't stand a chance because his body wouldn't be prepared for it.

"I'll go visit later today while Theo and Avayla are studying." He hummed, leaning into his mate as Jongho sat on the couch.

"He'd like that. I think the worst thing for him right now is that he missed both Riley and Gunner being born." Jongho ran a hand lazily across Yunho's arm. "But... he seems optimistic."

"Well that's our Youngie. He always has been."

Jongho chuckled. "Where are the kids now?"

"Outside with Mingi and Hongjoong. They are working with the oldest on their pack link. Hongjoong is also trying to see if he can trigger the start of the wolf process for them. They are going to be seven soon." Yunho still couldn't believe it. His little boy was growing up so fast.

"So that means they are going to be a while, right?" Jongho asked softly, turning to look at his mate.

Yunho turned to look at him too, his wolf churning at the lust eye found in his alpha's eyes. "Y-Yes... They are... But I don't know if this is a good idea..."

A flash of hurt crossed Jongho's face as he sat back a little.

Yunho instantly felt guilty and turned to bury his face in Jongho's chest. "I'm just worried about my back, that's all." He felt tears coming to his eyes at the thought of disappointing his alpha. His back was much better now. He had been doing therapy for over eight months and it was rare that it hurt him, but if he twisted the right way or lifted too much it would twinge and seize up on him. Even shifting still set it off as his entire back realigned itself.

Jongho's lips stuck out in a little pout before he moved to sit on Yunho's lap, straddling him as he cupped his face. "We'll never know if we don't try." He whispered before leaning forward to connect their lips

There was no use. Yunho melted instantly as he closed his eyes and reached up to grab onto Jongho's hair.

His alpha was right. They wouldn't know unless they tried. And he knew Jongho wouldn't do anything to hurt him and would stop if he asked him to.

And it had been a long time since they had been intimate outside of a few touches here and there.

He felt his wolf spur him forward, desiring his alpha's touch. It filled Yunho with warmth as Jongho pressed their bodies together on the couch.

But he forced himself to break the kiss. "We can't do this here."

"Why not?" Jongho said with a playful wink before moving to nip at his beta's neck.

A moan escaped from Yunho's throat as he tilted his head to the side out of instinct. "B-Because..." More small sounds came as Jongho kissed around and on his mating mark. "B-Be..."

His alpha chuckled and sucked harder, making Yunho buck his hips a little. " **What's the matter?** " He purred, forcing Yunho's head to move to the other side with his own so he could attack that side of his neck.

Yunho felt like he was on fire just from these simple kisses. He knew his need was going to be on an entire different level right now since it had been so long. And because of this, he had been forced into a whimpering mess beneath his alpha.

" **Al...** " He gasped as Jongho bit down gently at the base of his neck.

Jongho slipped his hands under Yunho's shirt and ran them up his chest, splaying his fingers wide. The beta shivered as goosebumps started to liter his skin.

A squeal came from outside and Jongho let out a little growl as he looked at the back door.

Yunho wanted to say something witty in response, but he never got the chance. Jongho moved off him and grabbed him around the waist, slinging him over his shoulder.

He couldn't help but laugh as Jongho hurried down the hall with him. They had to look ridiculous right now given their height difference, but neither one of them cared. Both were laughing as Jongho fumbled with the doorknob and slipped into their room.

As soon as he had the door locked, the alpha ran over to the bed and gently sat his mate down. He wasn't so gentle when it came to ripping his shirt off though, making Yunho giggle at the neediness of his alpha.

But it was a huge turn on at the same time. He bit his lip as he pulled Jongho to him, falling back on the bed while keeping their lips connected in a passionate kiss.

Jongho grabbed his arms and slowly ran his hands up them, from his shoulder up to his hands and laced their fingers together.

His alpha moved to start kissing down his neck again, still nipping occasionally to show his need, but Jongho also slowed everything down. He would let his tongue run over the beta's skin too, sending shivers of pleasure through him.

Yunho slipped his hands out and pulled at the base of Jongho's shirt before tugging it over his head.

Then he gasped as the younger pulled him up so they were standing. They quickly finished undressing each other before Jongho turned him around and ran his hands over his back.

Yunho caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and saw the shame that was reflected, even though his eyes flickered between his dark brown and vibrant sapphire blue colors.

He shivered as Jongho started to kiss along his back while running his hands gently over Yunho's scar. It was a lasting mark that would forever mar him. And not just externally. They had had a long talk with Maria at one point. A long talk... That resulted in her creating a mixture that would make Yunho infertile.

It was almost ironic... Wooyoung was killing himself to be able to have a baby. And now they were worried that if Yunho would have one, it could end up killing him and the baby. It would put too much strain on his back, and they didn't want to risk it.

But they had decided on this together, knowing that at least they had Theo.

"You're still beautiful my love." Jongho said, as if sensing where Yunho's mind had gone to.

Their eyes connected in the mirror for a moment before the taller turned around and bent over so he could nuzzle into Jongho's neck.

His alpha purred at the contact and ran his hands gently over his back. "You're my beautiful mate. I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't taken pity on me all those years ago." He whispered, rocking his head back and forth to rub his cheek against Yunho's head.

Yunho let out a happy sob and held his alpha tighter for a few seconds before pulling back to join their lips again. Jongho went further this time and ran his tongue over his beta's lips, begging for access.

But the beta didn't grant it. Instead, he forced his tongue out and into Jongho's mouth, twisting it in circles as they battled for dominance.

It became heated as their hands started to roam over every inch of the other's body.

Jongho started to push against the taller, guiding him back to the bed. He cupped the back of the taller's head and kept one hand on his back to slowly lower him down and climb on top of him again.

"I love you." The younger whispered, pulling back so they could lock eyes. "And I always will."

Yunho gave a shaky smile as his heart swelled in his chest. "And I love you."

They kissed again as his alpha started to trail a hand down Yunho's body. It grazed against his hard member, sending a jolt of pleasure through him, causing him to whine with need.

Then he found the beta's entrance and started circling it slowly.

Yunho stretched out one of his long arms to the end table by the bed and pulled out a small bottle of lube, whimpering as he did from the fierceness of kiss Jongho started to give him.

When he finally managed to wrap his fingers around it, Jongho took it quickly and poured some on his fingers, rubbing them together to spread it around before returning his hand to Yunho's body and slipping one finger inside.

The beta arched his back off the bed in pleasure and fisted Jongho's hair. He moaned as Jongho started to move the finger in and out before adding a second one.

Oh this felt so good. Why hadn't they done this sooner?

He gasped as Jongho moved to kiss his mark again, sucking on it harshly as he added a third finger and continued to stretch him out. His alpha twisted and crooked his fingers in ways that made him a moaning mess beneath him as he dug his fingers into his alpha's back. " **Alpha... Please no more. I need you.** " He whimpered.

Jongho let out a low chuckle, but obliged, signaling that he couldn't wait any longer either. He applied some of the lube to his own length and pumped it a few times before slowly easing it into his mate.

Yunho could feel his eyes rolling to be back of his head as his hips rose to meet his alpha's.

And when he expected Jongho to start thrusting into him like crazy, his mate surprised him by leaning forward and kissing him again in a passionate, gentle manor as he slowly pulled out and pushed back in.

They both moaned as the alpha repeated the slow action, rolling his hips as he did so to heighten the sensation.

He laced their fingers together again and placed them on either side of Yunho's head.

"Jong..." The older whispered, breaking the kiss to rub their cheeks together before kissing along Jongho's jaw. He smiled when Jongho let out a low moan while he continued to slowly rock his hips.

Yunho had never felt so full and full of love than at this moment. Because this wasn't two mates claiming each other, or an alpha claiming his beta.

No.

Jongho was making love to him, and it was one of the best things he had ever felt.

This went on for several minutes as they kissed every inch of skin they could reach while running their hands over each other.

At one point, Jongho reached down and started to stroke Yunho's length, keeping it slow but squeezing a little harder to add more pleasure.

As their climax started to build, Jongho picked up the pace just a little bit to help them reach that peak. Yunho rocked his hips too, matching his alpha's motions to help him go in even deeper.

They connected their lips one more time as Jongho brought them both to their climax. The alpha continued to rock his hips, slowing down again to draw it out for both of them as they panted in between their kisses.

Jongho pulled his head back and cupped the side of Yunho's face, a wide smile crossing his face. No words needed to be said to express what they were feeling as he rolled them over and ran his hands down Yunho's back and started rocking his hips again.


	39. 38

San blinked several times as he stifled a yawn and stretched. He felt Wooyoung stir next to him and smiled as he turned to pull his love close to his chest.

Wooyoung let out a content sigh as he nuzzled his nose back and forth against San's bare chest. "Mmmm, Sannie." He whispered.

The alpha looked down and tilted his head a little. His omega was acting strange this morning. He tilted his head and looked down to see that Wooyoung's eyes were still closed and his hands opened and closed slowly as he continued to dream.

San felt his heart melt a little as he kissed his mate's forehead.

They stayed in bed for a little while longer as San listened to the soft sounds Wooyoung made while he slept.

This was the best morning so far. After almost eight months of taking the serum, this was the first morning Wooyoung didn't wake up screaming in pain.

Maybe that meant that Wooyoung was cured...

The past couple of months had been so rough on the entire pack. Wooyoung was dying to meet the new babies. But there had been a few instances that he still have violent outbreaks so he himself said that he didn't trust himself around them.

Not that Mingi would have let him near Gunner anyway with how protective he was. The alpha was having a hard time letting anyone beside himself and Seonghwa hold him.

"Baby? Are you awake?" San whispered.

Wooyoung mumbled something in his sweet, high voice and shook his head back and forth.

"How are you feeling?"

The younger whined and tried to move closer to San. When he finally settled he let out a deep, hot breath.

San's skin tingled in response and he gently ran his fingers through Wooyoung's hair. His mate was definitely in a good mood this morning, and that just made the day that much sweeter.

_San, are you coming to get breakfast or should I bring it out?_ Seonghwa asked.

_Can I bring it?!_ Theo asked quickly.

Several chuckles could be sensed through the link. Ever since the link had opened up to him, he spoke whenever he could, especially to Wooyoung since he had been isolated. Theo had even been the one to calm Wooyoung a couple of times.

_I'll bring it too!_ Avayla cried out.

_Uncle Woo is still sleeping so it would probably be best if Seonghwa brought it out._ San said gently.

_He is? Is he doing ok?_ Jongho asked, a hint of worry in his tone.

San lifted his head up again to look down at his omega smiling in his sleep. _Yeah, I think he actually is._

_I'll be out soon._ Seonghwa said.

About five minutes later the omega knocked gently on the door and poked his head in. San lifted his off the pillow and smiled in response. "Thank you."

"It's no problem. I'm just glad you guys are eating normally again. I was worried about you for a bit there." Seonghwa said as he set the tray down on the end table and sat on the side of the bed.

"I know, I was too." San sighed as he let his head fall back onto the pillow.

Seonghwa leaned over to examine Wooyoung's face. "He looks... happy. And some of his color has returned. Do you want me to send Maria over?"

"That would be good, maybe I can convince him to get up by then." San said, smirked as he tried to tickle his omega's side.

Wooyoung whined and squirmed, making the other two chuckle.

"Youngie, I brought you some breakfast. You need to eat." Seonghwa said, leaning forward to rub his head.

"Ok..." He sighed, still not opening his eyes. "I'll eat Sannie..." He mumbled.

San felt himself turn bright red and couldn't bring himself to look at Seonghwa. It had been a long time since Wooyoung had made a comment like that and it shot butterflies into his stomach immediately. But he had to work hard not to get his hopes up.

He knew that part of him always had to be prepared for the worst. Maria always warned that the serum could go the opposite direction in the blink of an eye.

But having his mate snuggle into him like this was inflating the small hope balloon inside him at a rapid pace.

Seonghwa seemed to understand and left quickly.

"Come one baby, breakfast is getting cold." San said gently, trying to lift Wooyoung up with him as he went.

The younger obliged. Kind of.

As soon as they were sitting up, he moved to straddle San and buried his face in his neck while wrapping his arms and legs around his alpha.

San felt himself blushing again as he held Wooyoung tight. He could feel his wolf stirring with joy at the attention and did his best to push it away.

Maria knocked on the door a few minutes later. "Hello honey, Seonghwa told me to come out here. How is he?"

"Mmmmm fine Mmmmaria." Wooyoung mumbled, waving one of his arms at her.

She gave San a wide eyed look and stepped closer. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." He sighed, rubbing his nose against the mating mare ok San's neck. "And hungry." San bit his lip as Wooyoung licked him with just the tip of his tongue.

He knew he must have turned bright red because Maria gave him a knowing smile before staring fondly at the pair. She glanced at the bottle of potion sitting next to the tray of food.

Maria looked at them one more time before taking the bottle with her back to the house.

.

.

.

.

As soon as Seonghwa stepped into the house, he noticed the living room and kitchen had emptied out. He walked forward, looking for the rest of his pack when a pair of hands grabbed him and pulled him down the hall.

He instantly knew who it was and felt his wolf churn at the hurried way Mingi was pulling him.

They had been talking about finding a time to be together, having not had the chance to do anything since they had come home. Most of that was Seonghwa's fault because he was still traumatized from being with Lance, but the omega had been dropping playful hints to Mingi for a few days now.

Most of them involved running his hand over Mingi's crotch in passing or when the others weren't looking.

And now it looked like all his teasing was about to pay off.

Mingi closed the door to their bedroom and immediately pinned him to the wall, his mouth dominating the older's as he rotated his hips in circles. " **You think it's fun to tease Alpha?** "

"Yes." Seonghwa moaned as Mingi started leaving marks along his now exposed shoulders. When had the taller ripped his shirt off?

" **Well you better be ready for Alpha to make you his.** "

" **I'm ready Alpha. Please give me you knot. I need it.** " Seonghwa whined, rocking his hips in time with his alpha's, trying to beg for more.

Mingi let out a deep, rumbling growl as he yanked Seonghwa over to the bed and threw him onto it. He grabbed the bottom of Seonghwa's jeans and yanked hard, pulling them off in one smooth motion.

Seonghwa had to hold onto the edge of the bed to keep himself from being thrown onto the floor, but he used that as an excuse to get onto his hands and knees, taunting his alpha even more.

It worked. Mingi grabbed his hips and pulled down his boxer before pulling back on him.

Skin met skin, sending a chill down Seonghwa's spine. He needed this so bad. And he needed his dominant, sexy alpha.

He gasped when he felt Mingi's tongue move to swirl around his entrance as one of his big hands ran over Seonghwa's spine.

Then he moaned as Mingi started lapping at the natural slick he produced, humming and growling as he did.

Seonghwa rocked back on his knees, wanting to feel more as his wolf started to take over, forcing his desire to the forefront.

Mingi sensed this and wrapped his hand around Seonghwa's length, teasing it by just squeezing it occasionally as he began to thrust his tongue in and out of the omega.

Seonghwa had to clap a hand over his mouth to muffle his cries of pleasure, not knowing where the others were.

And it was obvious that they didn't have a lot of time, because Mingi started thrusting two fingers in and out of him, scissoring him open. " **Alpha needs to feel you. Alpha missed you around him.** "

The older just whimpered and nodded his head, wiggling his hips.

Mingi growled again and took Seonghwa by surprise by entering him in once swift motion. The omega screamed in pleasure and slight pain as Mingi held onto his waist, letting him adjust for a moment. " **Yes Alpha! Take me. I need you too.** " He begged.

Mingi pulled out almost all the way before slamming back into him repeatedly.

Seonghwa was sent into a world of pure bliss. He had been worried that he wouldn't like how rough Mingi could be after what he went through with Lance. Oh how wrong he was. He found himself practically begging for Mingi to go harder.

Some tough omega he had turned out to be. Raised by alphas, loved getting dominated by one.

He moaned as Mingi grabbed him by the hair, pulling him up so his back was pressed to his alpha's chest. " **You like that precious?** "

" **Y-Yes Alpha!** " He screamed as Mingi thrust up into him even harder.

They both moaned as he tried to pick up the pace, but his thrusts were already starting to get sloppy.

Seonghwa knew they'd have to work on building up their stamina again, and he smiled as he thought about how much he would love doing that.

Mingi kissed and nipped at his neck, starting on one side, then moving to the other to suck hard on Seonghwa's mark. It send a new wave of pleasure through him that drove him crazy.

The older reached up to grab the back of Mingi's head, then twisted his own so they could connect their lips in a heated kiss.

All too soon, Mingi's knot burst, forcing Seonghwa into his own climax as they both moaned and panted for several long minutes.

"Damn." Mingi panted, wrapping his arms around his mate protectively.

"You can say that again." Seonghwa closed his eyes and let his head fall back onto Mingi's shoulder.

"I'm sorry that was so quick." The younger said, sounding slightly worried.

Seonghwa let out a breathy laugh. "Don't apologize, that was hot. God I missed you." He said before forcing his lips onto his mate's.

Mingi moaned into it and held him close, running his hands all over his omega's body.

.

.

.

.

Wooyoung held out his arms and happily pulled Gunner into his chest. He was a mini Mingi through and through. Except for his eyes. He had gotten Seonghwa's vibrant blue eyes.

His tiny hand wrapped around one of Wooyoung's fingers as he studied the omega. Then he smiled and made a small gurgling sound, waving his other hand back and forth.

"It's nice to see you too." Wooyoung whispered.

"Careful, he's stronger than he looks." Mingi chuckled as he helped set the table. "He takes after his dad."

"Hey I'm strong too!" Avayla shouted, reaching her arms out.

Mingi chuckled before sweeping her off the floor. "Of course you are baby girl. Uncle Woo just hasn't been around your brother much yet."

"Careful Uncle Woo, Gunny is really strong!" Avayla said, shaking a finger at him.

Wooyoung laughed and tilted his head back. "I promise I'll be careful."

It was a nice summer evening and they decided to set up the tables outside and grill.

Seonghwa and Yeosang were huddled by the grill, check on the several pounds of meat they had going.

Jongho and Yunho were cuddled up in the hammock they had strung up between two of the trees, the older curled up in Jongho's tight embrace. Theo walked over to them and was picked up by Jongho quickly and joined them as they lazily swayed back and forth.

San was sitting with Hongjoong, watching as the alpha fed his son a bottle and stared at him with pure love in his eyes.

As dinner came together, everyone gathered around the table and passed the food amongst themselves.

That was when Wooyoung cleared his throat before reaching for San's hand.

"Hey guys?" Everyone was silenced and looked at him with curious expressions. "Sorry to interrupt, but I had something I wanted to say."

San kissed the side of his head quickly.

"Thank you for not giving up on me while I was taking the cure. I know it wasn't easy on any of you and it really means a lot to me. I feel so lucky to be able to call all of you my family. There's no place I'd rather be."

Everyone smiled at him and nodded. Yunho wrapped a long arm around his waist and pulled him into a side him.

Wooyoung beamed as he took in every face in front of him. Yes. This is where he belonged.

Then he took a deep breath before uttering the two words he had been dying to say for several days now.

"I'm pregnant."


	40. Epilogue

Mingi poked his head into the kitchen and smiled when he saw Seonghwa cleaning the counters in his meticulous way. He even had the tip of his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth while his forehead creased in concentration.

Not able to resist, Mingi snuck up behind him and quickly wrapped his arms around his mate's waist, earning the desired yelp of surprise. "Mingi! Don't do that!"

"I love how your senses shut down when you're cleaning." The taller chuckled as he left small butterfly kisses behind Seonghwa's ears.

"Ok, ok. You don't have to rub it in." Seonghwa said with a pout before he spun around in Mingi's grip to wrap his arms around his alpha's neck. "Did you just get back from hunting?"

"No, I was going to go do that in a little bit. Do you know where Avayla is? I was going to see if she wanted to come with me."

Seonghwa hummed as he played with the hairs on the back of Mingi's neck. "Yes, but I'm not supposed to tell you."

Mingi raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Excuse me? What do you mean you're not supposed to tell me?"

"You just answered that question yourself." Seonghwa tapped his forehead. "You are a very stubborn man and a protective dad, but you need to give her space!"

"She's with him again, isn't she?" Mingi growled, feeling his anger level rise a little."

"Would it really matter if she was?" Seonghwa's tone got a little harsher as he withdrew his hands and stepped away.

Mingi grumbled to himself as he started to walk away.

"Song Mingi! You get back here right now and leave your daughter alone!" Seonghwa called after him, but the younger ignored him, instead choosing to follow the sweet citrus scent that belonged to his daughter.

He grumbled even more when he discovered the feint fir scent mingled with it. Part of him knew he was being a little ridiculous right now, but that part was easily pushed aside by his wolf as he stormed into the trees behind their house.

He knew exactly where they'd be too. Avayla had fallen in love with the tree they had marked with two hearts for San and Wooyoung when they left to go look for the cure, so she spent a lot of time out there.

And sure enough, once it was in sight, he saw her sitting beneath the tree.

With Theo.

His hand on her neck.

And his tongue, most likely, down her throat.

Mingi let out a warning growl and the couple broke a part instantly. A mini Yunho and a mini Seonghwa stared back at him with wide eyes.

"Daddy!" Avayla said, standing up and putting herself in between him and Theo.

"I thought we talked about this Ava." Mingi growled again, keeping his eyes locked on where Theo was looking down at the ground behind Avayla.

"Yes we did. I'm almost eighteen Daddy! Mama told you that you need to start giving me space." She growled back as her eyes flashed red.

"So you can sneak off and have some kid suck your face off?!"

Avayla let out a low laugh. "Theo is not some kid. How dare you?! Uncle Jongho is going to kick your ass when he hears that you said that. And for your information," She snapped, reaching back to grab Theo's hand. "I was sucking his face off, so there!"

Mingi felt his jaw drop at her words and watched as the couple hurried back to the house, hand in hand.

"Well she's right about one thing."

Mingi groaned and turned around slowly, holding his arms open wide in surrender and cringed and Jongho drew back his fist and slammed it hard against his jaw. It sent the taller stumbling backward.

"Damn, that was a good one." He grumbled as he rubbed the impact area.

Jongho just shrugged, then smiled and held his hand out. "I know we can't expect you to change your short temper, but come on Mingi. We all knew this was going to happen."

The taller sighed and just closed his eyes as he accepted the handshake.

"Don't ever call my son 'some kid' again." Jongho growled as they shook hands, then he eyed Mingi warily as they parted ways to cool off for a minute.

.

.

.

.

Jongho grumbled to himself as he walked back to where he had been sitting in the shade. Theo had called him as soon as Mingi had shown up, and he was expecting Yunho to arrive any minute from where he was doing a quick perimeter run.

Mingi sure was something else when it came to protecting his kids. Which was understandable to an extent. But if he had his way, they would stay kids forever.

But Avayla and Theo were almost eighteen. That was the age wolves started to leave home if they wanted to. Plus it was also they age that mating started.

And everyone here knew that Avayla had claimed Theo as hers a long time ago.

Jongho wouldn't be surprised if the two of them left for a while and came back with mating marks on their necks. They would definitely have to restrain Mingi that day...

"He caught them kissing?" Yunho asked softly as he came to sit next to Jongho.

The alpha just hummed as he wrapped an arm around his mate's shoulders.

They both watched as Avayla pulled Theo behind her into the house, no doubt looking for Seonghwa to complain to him about Mingi. He was in trouble now.

The thing Jongho didn't understand, was how could Mingi not be happy for them? They had been inseparable since they realized what it was like to interact. And it was obvious Theo was smitten with Avayla by the way he looked at her whenever he followed her around.

She had always protected and been there for him. Hongjoong had voiced at one time that he wondered if they had a Soulmate connection too.

Which seemed even more fitting since both kids came from either half of the two packs they had originally formed before they made one big one.

Meaning it was fate that brought them together.

Jongho's thoughts were interrupted when Gunner and Riley came running past, yelling at each other and falling to the ground to 'play fight'.

They boys sure were rambunctious at ten years old. Riley had ended up being a perfect combination of both parents, although he inherited Hongjoong's leadership abilities. He was already a head alpha in the making.

Gunner also ended up being an alpha, although he was timid compared to Riley. And everyone could tell that he really looked up to his big sister. If he wasn't with Riley, he was following her around, much to her annoyance right now.

Seven alphas in one house was a lot to handle sometimes, but they were slowly figuring it out.

"Yunho!"

Jongho and Yunho looked to their right and saw Wooyoung walking up carrying two grocery bags. San was close behind him as always.

"Hey! Do you need help?" Yunho called back, moving to stand.

"Nope, we've got it." The omega smiled brightly, then turned around to yell, "Lizbeth! Lorelai! Keep up please!"

Jongho felt his heart flutter when the two identical twins came running forward carrying several bags of chips.

The girls were the joy of the household. They looked a lot like Wooyoung, but they got San's sharp jaw and dimpled smile.

The alpha felt Yunho join their hands together as they watched the family of four make their way into the house, wide smiles on both their faces.

.

.

.

.

Wooyoung grunted as he lifted the heavy bag onto the counter.

"Here Mama!" Lizbeth said, holding up her bag of chips.

"Thank you Lizzy, and thank you Lori." He praised both his girls and they beamed before running to go play outside.

He hummed when he felt San's arms wrap around his waist and pull him into a hug. Then they both stood there and watched their girls play in the yard with Gunner and Riley.

Wooyoung sometimes still couldn't believe it. He had had a pretty smooth pregnancy. There was some morning sickness, but it never lasted for very long. He got the weird food cravings that had San scrambling to find them at all hours of the night. Back pain, headaches, mood swings, it had all been there.

And yet oddly, now that he thought back to it, he had loved every second of it. Even the pain that came from birthing two babies. They were his and San's pride and joy. And they were the sweetest little girls too.

When they turned seven, their wolves came and they came out as omegas. Both of them. It made sense though. All they wanted to do was please. They loved helping out around the house or going shopping. They also enjoyed spending time with Avayla as much as possible.

Being the only three girls in the house was a challenge, and there was a huge learning curve for the pack as Avayla got older. But thankfully Maria saved the day. Again.

Today's celebration was for her. Kenneth had told them that today was her birthday, although he refused to disclose either of their ages. But he wanted to throw her a party, and Hongjoong immediately agreed.

Some of the local families had been invited as well. In the years since the big war, packs were starting to form again.

Hongjoong was considered the head alpha of the area, as the other head alphas all came to him to ask for permission to settle here since his pack had been here for so long.

Now there were four other families in the area, giving the kids other pups to play with and friends for the rest of the pack.

Wooyoung loved how peaceful everything was now. They had taken care of all their enemies, Ultima never came looking for him after he told them he wasn't interested, and Marylou and Tina had even come to visit a couple of times.

Mingi had invited Colonel Gregson to come by at one point too, so he could meet Gunner. It brought the old man to tears when he learned they had named their boy after him.

"Now honey, you know your dad can get over protective." Seonghwa sighed as he walked down the hallway.

Wooyoung turned to see Avayla following behind, red in the face, with Theo following faithfully behind her. But as soon as the beta saw Wooyoung, he beamed and came running over.

_Uncle Woo! You're back!_ He threw his arms around Wooyoung and hugged him tight.

_Just now, yeah. What's going on?_

Theo stepped back and bit his lip. _Uncle Mingi may or may not have found me and Avie together again._

Wooyoung smiled at the special name he had for his future mate. _He's just an old grump. I hope you're ready for Avayla to be like that too. Alphas can get pretty temperamental sometimes._

_Hey!_ San said, scrunching is face up in displeasure.

_Oh, I already know that._ Theo beamed. _I've heard the stories Uncle Sannie. Don't try to deny it._

The alpha pursed his lips and opened the fridge, pretending to look for something.

Wooyoung winked at Theo, then watched as he walked back over to where Avayla was now smiling while talking to Seonghwa about something. They joined hands instantly and Wooyoung noticed her shoulders relax immediately.

"Mama! Uncle Jongho needs you!" Lizbeth called from outside.

"Yeah! Uncle Jongho needs you Mama!" Lorelai joined in.

They both poked their heads through the open back door and smiled. "Alright, I'm coming," the omega smiled as he went and took their hands.

His girls pulled him after them to where Jongho was standing by the grill. As the sun got brighter, Wooyoung could make out the only detail that was different between his daughters. Lizbeth had inherited the gold flecks in her eyes.

"Hey Woo." Jongho leaned forward to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Is everything ready?"

"Yeah, we just need the grill to heat up. Kenneth and Maria should be here any time now." He said while rubbing the back of Lorelai's head.

_Come one girls! Let's go get cleaned up._ Theo said as he walked up next to them.

The twins happily took his hands and followed him back inside. They had also inherited Wooyoung's love for skin contact, so they held hands with each other or whoever they were with all the time.

As everyone came together, Wooyoung couldn't help but stand off to the side and smile. While his pack of eight looked exactly the same as they did when they all met, they had all changed so much. After all they had been through together, though, it was expected.

Yunho came and wrapped his arm around Wooyoung's shoulder, pulling him in close. They stood in silence as Riley, Gunner, and the twins ran in circles around the table, then ran to the back door as Maria and Kenneth walked out.

She had the brightest smile on her face and placed a hand over her heart as everyone took turns hugging her and wishing her happy birthday.

"Did you ever think we'd end up here after how we were raised?" Yunho asked quietly.

Wooyoung snorted. "No. At that time I thought I would live the rest of my life with Chan and never see you again."

"We've definitely been through a lot, haven't we Youngie?"

"Yeah. But we are all together, and that's all I want. We can't predict what the future will bring us, but as long as we stand together and support each other, I believe we can get through anything." Wooyoung looked up at his best friend and got a wide smile in return.

Then the beta picked him up and spun him in a circle before they went to join their perfect family.   
  
  
  


**_End_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends the second book in this series!! Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to read and comment on this. It truly means so much to me <3 I've got one more book after this to post! And then I also have a book of one-shots that I've started as well so I'll get those on here after I finish posting the last book. Thank you again for everything and I'll see you soon my loves!!


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